The Power He Knows Not Is
by Tezza1502
Summary: Harry's left to his own devices between his fifth and sixth years. Sadly, Voldemort still found a way to make Harry's life miserable. What will be the consequences of Harry's act of self-preservation? How far will the ripples spread?
1. Harry did a bad bad thing

Harry Potter: The Power He Knows Not Is...

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to 'Harry Potter', in any way, shape or form. The books and films are the property of J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury, and Warner Brothers. I'm just taking my imagination out for a run through their worlds, is all.

Notes: Pretty standard 'Harry gets an upgrade' fic. But considering just how bloody _hard _it is to actually come up with anything truly original in this fandom, I think I can be forgiven.

Just trying my hand at a HP multi-chapter story. Hope you enjoy!

More Notes: The Prologue and Chapter 1 will be posted together. After that, it'll settle down into a chapter a week.

Also, chapter lengths are going to be all over the place.

* * *

PROLOGUE:- (Harry did a Bad Bad Thing.)

Harry Potter was lying in his bedroom in the dead of night at his Aunt and Uncle's house at number four Privet Drive, slowly going insane.

His relatives, who had been thoroughly cowed by the not-so-veiled threats given them by Arthur Weasley, Alastor Moody, Remus Lupin and Miss N. Tonks, had been giving a ridiculously wide berth to his door. In Dudley's case, even going so far as to tip-toe noisily along the far wall of the hallway whenever he absolutely _had _to pass through that part of the house. Harry would have found it terribly amusing if his mind hadn't been in the process of shredding itself.

Every night, images and dreams of his friends being tortured and killed in a variety of horrible ways, each more terrible than the last. His parents and Sirius standing off to the side, howling at him and berating him for doing nothing and failing everybody in the process. The dull and glassy eyes of the dead, staring mutely at him, silently accusing him of not being there for them. Getting them mutilated and killed, simply because they had the misfortune to know him.

Night after night, for two weeks it had been going on. Ever since he had returned to Privet Drive. Soon after the first week had finished, they had started haunting him during his waking hours as well. There was no escape. Dumbledore was not answering his letters. Neither was Remus Lupin. None of his friends could seem to be bothered to reply to him, either. If your struggling to hold on to your sanity, isolation is the last thing you need.

For Dumbledore's suppositions about what happened between Harry and Voldemort that night in the Ministry Atrium were not entirely correct. Yes, Voldemort would not dare enter Harry's mind and possess him again due to the immense pain it caused the dark lord. However, there was absolutely nothing to stop him forcing visions down the link to Harry, as he had done to get the teenager into the Department of Mysteries.

Nothing at all.

Harry had long ago stopped trying to remind himself that this was all some trick by Voldemort, and now simply accepted the visions. He had stopped eating several days ago, and drinking the day before. He was weak in both mind and body. He had even come to believe that it was _him _doing the torturing, towards the end.

And so, after almost fifteen continuous days and nights of constant horror, Harry had finally had enough.

He wanted out. By whatever means available to him.

Slowly, painfully, he reached out from his bed and grasped his wand with weak hands. Closing his eyes, he carefully placed the tip directly against his scar and whispered, "I hope you choke on this, Tommy-boy! _Avada Kedavra!_"

* * *

Notes: Having re-read the start of 'The Half-Blood Prince', I could find no mention of anyone contacting Harry before Dumbledore came to collect him to sucker Slughorn into returning to Hogwarts. Odd really, considering the production J.K. has made in every _other _book about his time at Privet Drive. So, I am taking it as they once again were 'giving him time to grieve'.


	2. Ouch! Thats gotta hurt

Harry Potter: The Power He Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: I do not own the works of fiction known collectively as Harry Potter. J. K. Rowling and her associates do. I make no money from this endeavour, merely reviews from my writing peers and interested readers.

Notes: aaaaaaaaaaand here we go.

* * *

CHAPTER 1:- (Ouch! That's Gotta Hurt.)

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was sitting in his office at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, contemplating.

Now that Voldemort's return was officially recognised by the Ministry of Magic, he could start to openly affect change once again within the Wizengamot. The loss of a year would hurt the efforts of those aligned with the Light, to be sure, but the delay was not insurmountable. It would also help that people would not be persecuted for associating with himself and his allies any more.

As well, several leads towards the hiding places of Voldemort's many devices to achieve immortality were finally starting to bear fruit. In fact, he was planning to depart for the old Gaunt property during the next day or so, to try and retrieve what he believed to be one bound within Salazar Slytherin's family ring. After that, locating Horace Slughorn and convincing the former potions professor to once again take up his position at Hogwarts would be his top priority. He even had the perfect bait to tempt the old collector.

Dumbledore would never know how close he came to instigating his own death that day for a good long time because suddenly, every monitoring instrument he had tied to Harry's health and wellbeing either screeched at full volume, or simply exploded.

* * *

Dumbledore, along with Alastor Moody, Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin, Tonks, Arthur Weasley and a good half-dozen other members of the Order of the Phoenix Apparated into Little Whinging at just a little past midnight with wands out, and prepared to find the dark mark floating malevolently over the street. However, the only thing that had disturbed the arriving wizards so far was the boring uniformity of the houses up and down Privet Drive.

"We're clear, Albus. Nothing within sight. Even that useless waste of a magical core, Fletcher, is missing. _Again!_" 'Mad-eye' Moody growled as his magical eye finished its rotation within it's socket. "Are y'sure the boy's in trouble?"

"Positive." Dumbledore said in his deceptively calm voice. "You _know _the means I have available to me for monitoring young Harry, Alastor. You helped bind some of them to him yourself!"

"Aye." Moody allowed, both men either not noticing or ignoring the shocked glances that admission caused. "Well, nothing for it. Lets get closer then."

Marching down the street at a quick trot, the assembled wizards quickly arrived at Number Four. With barely a wave of his wand, Dumbledore opened the Dursleys door and led those that were known to Harry inside and up the stairway towards Harry's room. The rest stood guard outside, wands out.

In their haste, they almost ran into the entire Dursley family, who were assembled outside of Harry's door, shouting at it. "STOP THAT UNGODLY NOISE RIGHT NOW, BOY! I'LL NOT HAVE YOU DISTURBING THE SLEEP OF DECENT FOLK WITH YOUR _FREAKISH_ SCREAMING!" Vernon paused mid-rant as he caught sight of movement out of the corner of his eye. Rounding on the converging wizards and witches coming up the stairs, he opened his mouth to give them a serve as well.

It was not to be. Before he could make a sound, he found himself thrown against and stuck to the far wall of the hallway. A second later, his wife and son joined him. A quick silencing charm stopped their screams of fright from being heard, as well as the groaning coming from the badly overloaded wall they were magically glued to.

"Bloody berks!" Tonks spat, as she, Arthur and Remus stowed their wands and followed the rest in through the once heavily locked door.

Harry was a mess. His shabbily furnished room stank of fear and neglect. He was laying half on his bed, dressed only in ill-fitting boxers, his head not quite touching the floor. Blood was trickling out of his ears, nostrils, tear ducts, as well as his scar. The size and viscosity of the crimson pool on the floor underneath him indicated that the flow had only recently been stopped.

"Oh sweet mercy save us all" Minerva whispered before she roused herself out of her shock and joined Albus in waving her wand vigorously over the boy in a complex pattern. "Albus, I can't...I can't find any..."

"_There! _A pulse!" Albus exclaimed. "It's very faint, but he is still alive."

The entire room exhaled with relief.

Scanning the room briefly, the headmaster grabbed an empty inkwell and cast the _Portus _spell on it. "Quickly Minerva. You, Remus and Nymphadora grab on to Harry. This Portkey will take you directly to Hogwarts' Infirmary. Poppy will be waiting for you. Hurry now!"

Without a word, Remus grabbed Harry and touched the Portkey along with the others. When they were gone, those that were left in the room headed back into the hallway to have a chat with the Dursleys.

* * *

A few days later, during which time he tried to assimilate all the information he had been able to glean about what happened to Harry into some sort of coherent whole, Dumbledore found himself in a situation he had not personally encountered in several decades: he was having to defend decisions he had made to his allies in the Order. Not only that, but he was _not _making any headway against those who were disagreeing with him.

To add to his woes, Molly Weasley was present as well. "You promised, Albus! You _**swore **_that he was safe there!" She screeched.

"And he is, Molly-"

"Funny that, considering that Poppy told me that Harry was within half a litre of bleeding out by the time we got him to her the other night." Tonks commented from her position with Remus on the far side of the room. The only reason those two were not crowded around the Headmaster's table with the others was because the wolf inside Remus was crying out for Dumbledore's blood at the moment, for letting one of his cubs come to harm. And Remus was feeling hard pressed not to give in to the urge. Tonks was there to make sure he didn't, though secretly she wouldn't be above letting her friend maul the old fart for a few minutes right now.

"Yes, well, I thought it best that he had time to grieve properly.."

At that, Remus lost it. "AND WE'VE ALL SEEN HOW WELL THAT'S WORKED IN THE PAST, HAVEN'T WE!" The Werewolf roared, shrugging off Tonks and advancing on Dumbledore. "He was damn near fit to be tied when you finally _permitted _him to come to us _last _time." The man slammed his fist down on the Headmaster's table, making everyone jump. "It was really only Sirius that was able to reach him, and draw him out then. And now, thanks to your overwhelming need to sequester information from _everyone_, _including _those that needed it the most, Sirius is _**dead!**_"

The rest of the room paled slightly. It was the closest yet that anyone in the Order had dared to come to voicing their private feelings on the matter in Dumbledore's presence. Even Fawkes, Dumbledore's Phoenix, winced. However, Remus wasn't finished.

Reaching out with his preternatural speed, he wrapped a couple of turns of Dumbledore's waist-length beard around his hand and forcefully drew the old man out of his chair and over the table.

"Your inability to do what should have been done _decades _ago has cost me my friends, my family, my brothers in all but blood, and nearest thing I will have to a son." Remus snarled, "If you fail him again, in _**any **_way, you will find yourself suffering under the same laws I have had to since I was a child."

"_Remus Lupin_!" Molly shouted shrilly. "Albus is a great man. Do not threaten him like that."

"A great man?" He spat incredulously. "This old fool left Harry in an abusive environment for most of his life, not caring in the slightest how that would affect him. Then he has the _hide _to isolate him from the few friends he has in his time of greatest need, 'for the greater good!'" He let Albus go, and advanced on Molly. "Yes, perhaps he's right, and Voldemort had something to do with this. But the situation would not have gotten anywhere near as out of hand as it had if anyone had been allowed to actually _stay _in that wretched house with him, instead of skulking around outside like Death Eaters in the night." With that, Remus spun on his heel and marched towards the door.

"Where are you going, Remus?" Dumbledore asked as he attempted to straighten out the knots in his beard.

"To the Infirmary. The stench of hypocrisy in here is far too strong for my enhanced sense of smell." With a last glare around the room, he left.

Dumbledore sighed. "I wonder if perhaps-"

"What ever your thoughts are, Albus, I would consider them very carefully before voicing it aloud." Arthur Weasley interrupted, trying, as ever, to make sure that no-one said anything in haste that would be hard to retract when tempers had cooled.

"The Order is already buzzing with the news that Harry Potter, _'The Chosen One'_," He snorted, "was left to grow up in the hands of such out-and-out magic-haters as the Dursleys by _you_. Any attempt by you to isolate that young man from the only remaining link to his parents will have even your staunchest supporters wondering if perhaps you might be starting to go dark yourself."

Molly gasped at her husbands words. "Arthur! How can you say such things?"

Arthur turned to his wife. "Molly dear, if _anyone _had tried to do even a quarter of the things young Harry has had to go through during his life to _our _children, you would have hexed whoever it was into their grave." He stated kindly yet firmly.

That put Molly back on her heels. She had opened her mouth out of sheer reflex to refute his words, when random memories began flashing through her mind:

-Harry, looking so painfully small and thin for his age, the first time she laid eyes on him at Kings Cross Station.

-His clothes, which always looked so tatty and old, despite how many Galleons were in his trust vault every year.

-The desperate, almost haunted look of intense longing he got in his eyes whenever she had showed affection to her children. And the fearful yet pathetically blissful expression he wore when she did the same to him.

-A sulky remark she had overheard her daughter Ginny make once, about how she wished it had been _her _who had given Harry his first hug, instead of Hermione.

-His continued friendship with her youngest son Ron, who even Molly would admit could sometimes test the patience of Job with his incessant jealousy over the smallest of things.

-The combined look of desperation and resignation he wore every time he had to leave with those Muggles.

-The fact that Dumbledore has steadfastly refused to allow Harry to stay with anyone else until he has spent a minimum of at least a month with those horrible people.

-The fact that it always seems to take Harry at least two weeks to finally shake his melancholy off for good when he is allowed to leave that place. And about the same amount of time to stop gorging himself at every meal. (Yes, she liked to feed him up. But outdoing Ron in the gluttony stakes for even a short amount of time is worrying.)

These thoughts, and more, raced through her mind. And at the heart of it all, the sure knowledge that Dumbledore had put Harry in that position from the very start. Dumbledore alone.

Conclusions were forming in her mind. Unpleasant ones.

* * *

Dumbledore paled slightly. Molly Weasley had always been one of his staunchest allies, even more so after she had been formally inducted into the Order. He had often allowed her to steamroll any objections to his decisions that had cropped up at meetings with her unwavering faith that he knew what he was doing, and that it was for the greater good. It was a useful thing to have, someone who believed in you and was prepared to rather vocally defend that belief to any and all who would oppose it.

And with a few well placed words, and an invitation to think over the facts of the situation for herself, her husband appeared to have undone it all.

Any doubts Albus had entertained were shattered with her next statement.

"You put him there, in that place, with those...people." She whispered. "It all started with you."

"Now Molly. Voldemort was the one who deprived Harry of his parents-"

"And it was you who deprived him of everything else!" She accused in a shrill voice. "Comfort. _Friendship_. _**Love**_. He knew _none _of those emotions until he started at Hogwarts."

Dumbledore actually looked pained at her accusations. "I thought it would be best if he was not raised to believe that he was a hero. That he would become arrogant if he knew of what he had done while still a baby." He tried to defend his decisions once again.

Molly was having none of it. "_**So you decided to put him somewhere completely the opposite, where he was barely treated as human!**_" She roared. "Merlin, its a miracle that he isn't on his way to becoming the _next _Dark Lord, thanks to you."

Dumbledore tried once again to assert some authority over the discussion. "Molly, while I can not tell you all of my reasons, I assure you that it is _imperative _Harry spend a certain amount of time at his relative's place every year. It really is for the greater good..."

"_**GREATER GOOD?**_"

As soon as those words were shouted back at him at top volume, Albus knew any chance he'd had of getting out of his office without an earbashing had just Apparated away. And seeing the colours Molly Weasley's face was turning, he rather oddly had a flashback to his time in Europe in the mid-1940's. He'd been caught in a town which the Allies were bombing back into the stone age. Dresden, was the name. With all that high explosive raining down, the only thing anyone could do was bunker down, wait it out, and pray it'd be over soon.

With Molly building up a head of steam for a good long rant, the Headmaster bunkered down behind his desk, settled in to wait it out, and prayed it would all be over soon.

* * *

Two weeks after that meeting of minds in his office, Albus stood at the foot of Harry Potter's bed in the hospital wing of Hogwarts, well past the hour of midnight, wondering if the course of action he was about to undertake was the right one. The boy had not woken up yet, despite Madame Pomfrey's assurances that all the damage the boy had suffered was completely undone. He was here because he needed to know _exactly _what had happened that night, so as to know how to alter his plans to take advantage of recent events.

He knew that Harry had cast the killing curse at himself. A simple _Priori Incantatium _on the boy's wand had shown that quite clearly. Albus needed to know _why_. The amount of hate needed to power that particular spell was not small. Did Harry truly hate himself so much? Was the boy going dark, as Molly had proposed? Or was the fact that he was still alive proof that there was still hope?

Adding to the headmasters list of things to contemplate was Severus Snape, Albus' spy within Voldemort's ranks. The somewhat-reformed Death Eater had finally made contact with him after too many days incommunicado. It seems that Harry's actions had wrought an unexpected consequence;

Voldemort was once again without a body.

Apparently, the Dark Lord had been watching the effects of his visions a little too closely down the link between himself and Harry. Not true possession, like he had attempted in the Ministry of Magic. Rather, he had opened himself up to the emotions Harry was experiencing so he could bask in the misery he was causing while pumping visions through the link. Feeding upon Harry's pain, as it were.

Unfortunately for Voldemort, he had not been able to withdraw and shield his mind before the energy from the killing curse Harry had used upon himself had flown along the Horcrux link. The self-styled Dark Lord had simply stiffened, pulsed green for a long moment, then tumbled off his throne in front of those members of the inner circle he had by his side to share in his tormenting of Harry. A moment later, a dark, viscous smoke erupted from the Dark Lord's body, screamed once, then tore out of the room like the wraith it was. The corpse, without any innate magic of its own to hold it together, quickly broke down into a black goo. Severus had described the whole thing as 'almost anticlimactic'. At least, until every marked Death Eater had begun screaming uncontrollably, and clutching at their Dark Marks.

The pain lasted for several hours, and afterwards none of them were capable of much movement for at least a day. It seems that after what had happened to him all those years ago, Voldemort had secretly altered the Dark Mark so that his followers would not be able to forget about him quite so easily if he became disembodied again. Severus had reported that the mark still flared painfully at random times, over four days later. It had also not faded at all, such as it had the last time. In fact it seemed to be now almost burning the skin around it.

It was a fortuitus accident that desperately needed to be taken advantage of. And Albus needed to know whether his main chess piece was still capable of functioning, or now just a vegetable.

Despite all that, the Headmaster's thoughts were still flitting around his time in Europe during the Muggle World War Two, when he was busy following leads towards Grindelwald's most recent hiding spot at that point, towards the end of the Magical war. _'I was so __sure__ of what I was doing, back then.' _He sighed to himself. Even with Fawkes by his side, that feeling of utter surety was something he had been sorely lacking these last twenty years or so. Especially since the Potter's deaths, and Harry's subsequent life with the Dursleys.

Shaking away the doubt, he leant over the comatose boy, opened his eyelids with slightly shaking hands, and whispered, "_Legilimens_."


	3. Behind green eyes

Harry Potter: The Power He Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: I, the entity hiding behind the name Tezza1502, do not own, or in any way lay claim to the works of J.K. Rowling, specifically the Harry Potter universe. I'm just acting out my compulsive need to write fan fiction.

* * *

CHAPTER 2:- (Behind Green Eyes.)

"_Legilimens_."

With that whispered spell, Albus Dumbledore slipped into Harry Potter's mind.

Technically what he was doing was considered dangerous in the extreme. Anyone found entering a person's mind using Legillimancy without their permission was in for an automatic five year stay at Azkaban. Anyone found entering a person's mind using Legillimancy without their permission _while the recipient was in a coma _was to be considered half a step away from committing suicide themselves, and sent to St. Mungo's for a thorough mental check-up before commencing their trip through the Azkaban penal system. It was that dangerous to attempt. The possibility of the invading consciousness being sucked into and trapped within the comatose mindscape was exceptionally high, the ability to successfully escape incredibly low.

However, the Headmaster felt he had no choice. The Wizarding world needed its saviour. It needed The-Boy-Who-Lived, hale and hearty.

So here he was, surrounded by pure blackness, wondering if this mindscape was some sort of automatic defence, or the current state of Harry's mind.

Suddenly, something _large _snorted in the darkness. "I was wondering when you would attempt something like this, old man." A sibilant voice hissed.

Dumbledore paled, possibilities roaring through his badly shaken mind at a frantic rate. "...Tom?"

Two eyes, a metre across each, opened far too close to the interloper for his liking and focused their attention upon him. They glowed a rich emerald green. "Not quite."

The old man swallowed dryly. "_Harry?_"

The corners of the eyes seemed to crinkle, as if the unseen face was smirking. "Not quite him, either."

"Then...who?" He ventured weakly, his mind still racing.

"I honestly thought you were smarter than this, old man." The eyes shook slightly, as if chuckling silently. "Now, GET OUT!"

* * *

Dumbledore threw himself away from the bed with a shocked gasp. _'H-How...?' _Was the only coherent thought running through his mind as he desperately gathered his Occlumency skills to pull himself together.

Unfortunately, something he had done tripped the observation wards Madam Pomfrey had active over Harry's bed, and she came flying out of her private quarters with her wand drawn and a fiery expression on her face. When she dragged out of the Headmaster what he had been up to, she almost _physically _dragged him out of the hospital ward by his ear, threatening to take the matter up with the Hogwarts Board of Governors if he dared come near her patient again before he woke up.

Unnoticed in all the commotion, Harry grinned for a moment at the spectacle before falling back into a natural sleep. _'That was entertaining. I wonder if she does requests...?'_

* * *

The next morning, Madam Pomfrey came out of her office to find Harry sitting up in his bed, looking around with a resigned expression on his face and rubbing his scar absently. "_Mister Potter!_"

"Huh?" He looked up, then felt around for his glasses on the side table. "Oh, hi Madame Pomfrey. How are you? Or maybe I should ask, how am I?" He asked, blinking owlishly as he put them on.

Pomfrey's mouth opened and shut a couple of times before her professionalism reasserted itself. "You have been in my care for just on two weeks, Mister Potter. You were brought here from your relative's place by the Order after..." She hesitated.

"After I tried a bit of creative spellwork to get away from Tommy-boy's torture. I remember." Harry finished for her, sounding completely unconcerned by what he had done to get into his current location. "How am I physically?" He enquired, rolling his shoulders and cricking his neck.

"Despite the state you turned up here in, you are now in perfect health." She stated with pursed lips.

"And what state was that, may I ask?" Harry blinked. The killing curse shouldn't have had any physical effect on him. Should it?

"…for some reason, you were bleeding profusely from most of the orifices on your head." Poppy admitted, thinking that if her patient knew just how badly he had harmed himself, he might think twice before doing it again. Past experience with this particular patient of hers might suggest strongly that it was a vain hope, but she could try. "In fact, you nearly died. It was a _very _unusual reaction to _that _particular spell." Poppy's demeanour oscillated between disgust at that particular spell, the fact that he had used it, and that he had been driven to a point where he thought it was a good idea to use it on himself in the first place.

"Hmph." Harry pondered that information. "I wonder…" _'Purging Voldie shouldn't have done that. I was expecting to be in a lot of pain, or knocked out. The end of first year, and that time in the cemetery proves that.' _He shrugged. _'I guess some sort of feedback loop must have happened down my connection with the dark bastard.' _"Oh well." He shrugged again, resolving to think on it more, later. "But I'm okay now?"

"Physically? Yes." The matron sighed.

"Excellent! And thank you for once again putting me back together." With that, he swung his legs off the bed and stood up with nary a wobble. "D'you mind if I go for a little walk? I won't go far, I promise." He looked at with a slightly imploring expression.

"...No. I need to do a scan, now that your awake. And _you _need to get some solid food in you."

Harry pouted and grumbled as he followed her instructions. Presently, she finished her work and called out, "Nippy!"

**/CRACK/** A Hogwarts House Elf appeared by her side. "Yes, missus Poppy?"

"Nippy, could you please fetch Mister Potter here some breakfast before informing the Headmaster that _my _patient is awake."

"Yes, missus Poppy." The little creature bowed before popping away.

* * *

Albus strode into the Hospital wing to find Harry attacking a plate of bacon, sausages, eggs, hash browns and toast with great enthusiasm. "Good morning Harry! How are you feeling today?"

Harry waved at the Headmaster with a knife without either looking at him or interrupting the flow of food going into his mouth.

Albus waited a few seconds to see whether he was going to get the boy's undivided attention any time soon. When it looked like Harry was going to continue ignoring the old man in favour of the plate in front of him, he frowned slightly. "I believe I shall have a quick chat with Poppy about your status while you finish off your meal then." When all he got was another wave with the knife, his frown deepened and he exited the room, looking for his healer.

"Ah, Poppy! How is young Harry?" He asked when he found her.

"Surprisingly well both physically and mentally, _despite _your antics last night." She scowled. "And he seems to be quite stable emotionally as well. Which I find somewhat unsettling, considering..." She faded out, unwilling to say aloud the reason the boy was actually here. "To be honest, its almost as if he is using Occlumency to control his emotions."

That prognosis disturbed Albus. Harry was not behaving like someone who had reached the end of his tether and attempted to take his own life. Her suspicion that the boy had somehow mastered a mental art essentially overnight was even more unsettling. Especially considering the difficulties the boy had, trying to learn even the basics of that same skill from Severus.

"He also seems very keen to get into the castle and walk around. I'm not sure why."

"Hm, that is curious, although he never has been fond of spending any more time in your wonderful care that he has to. Perhaps he merely wishes to walk through the place he feels most at peace in." Albus pondered as he stroked his beard absently. "Is he able to walk?" Poppy nodded. "Very well, I will allow it. However, I will ask the portraits to keep an eye on him, for his own safety."

"And the others? Remus, Molly and his friends have been fire-calling me every other day to see whether Harry has woken up yet."

"I wish to have a quick conversation with young Harry first. After that, let his friends know, and visit if they wish."

* * *

Albus re-entered the main ward. "Hello Harry."

"Hello Albus." He replied evenly.

Albus raised an eyebrow at that, but decided to let it go for now. He needed information. "Do you remember why you are here?"

"Yes."

"...and, would you be willing to tell me?"

"Yes."

"..." Albus frowned as he realised the game of semantics Harry was playing with him. _'What is going through that boy's head?' _He wondered, recalling what he had experienced the previous night. He briefly considered trying Legillimancy again, but decided against attempting it until he had a better understanding of what had happened the night before. "Would you tell me what happened to you that night, two weeks ago please?"

Harry decided to answer. "When you lot _abandoned _me to my _darling _relatives for _another _summer of loneliness and misery, Tommy-boy started force-feeding me visions again. Only this time, they were of everyone I know being tortured and killed and tortured again." A single tear escaped Harry's iron self-control, and rolled down his cheek. "All day and night, for two weeks, Sirius, Hermione, Ron, Moony, Tonks, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, the twins, Ginny, Cedric, Neville, Luna, my parents, my teachers, _you_, EVERYONE I know screamed at me that it was MY FAULT as they were being tortured to death over and over again without stopping without letting up it was MY FAULT because they knew me or were my friends and NO-ONE was willing to help me or talk to me no-one replied to my letters they ABANDONED me _AGAIN __**ON YOUR ORDERS!**_"

Albus looked stricken. He had honestly thought that Voldemort would not attempt to go near Harry's mind ever again after his debilitating experience in the Ministry. He had been proven wrong, in the most terrible way possible.

Harry took a deep, shuddering breath and continued talking once again in a monotone, ignoring the Headmaster's horrified expression. "And so, after fourteen days of waking nightmares, and with no-one willing to contact me, I was once again on my own. So, I decided to try something." Taking a deep, cleansing breath, he asked a question of his own, "What happened to Tommy-boy after my little bit of spell-casting?"


	4. Big Glass of Blame, & a Hermione Chaser

Harry Potter: The Power He Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: Harry Potter ain't mine.

Notes: Harry's a bit grouchy in this one.

* * *

CHAPTER 3:- (Big glass of blame, with a Hermione chaser.)

Harry was prowling around the seventh floor of Hogwarts, thinking about the events of the day before.

Once Dumbledore had distractedly answered his question about Voldemort, the old man had walked away without a word, shoulders slumped. And he had studiously avoided being in Harry's presence ever since. He couldn't even bear to look Harry in the eye due to his shame at what he has put the young man through. Which gave Harry an excuse to prowl the school without too much observation. Portraits could be fooled, or hidden from. Dumbledore was harder to deceive, even with his recently shaken self-confidence.

That afternoon, a few of the Weasleys had Floo'd in to see him and apologised for not contacting him since he had gone to his relatives. When Ron attempted to deflect blame towards the Headmaster by saying that they were just following his orders, Harry scowled at them all, and reminded them that that excuse hadn't really worked with him last year either, and that _this _time he was less willing to let it slide with a simple apology.

It was pretty much the same with Remus and Tonks, although they didn't try to deflect blame. It was a point in their favour, but the fact that both of them had taken their turns watching over him when he was at Privet Drive quickly negated that.

Later, Hedwig had flown in through an open window, looking for her human. After spending some time reassuring the owl that he wouldn't be trying anything quite like that again, Harry wrote some letters and sent her off to deliver them with a promise of some bacon and a good long scratch between her wings when she returned.

The first two were short notes to Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood, enquiring about how their summer was going. He was not actually angry with them over what had happened to him. To his own regret, he had not thought to contact either of them while Voldemort was attacking his mind. In his distressed state, he had not considered that either Neville or Luna could help him. Sure, since the Department of Mysteries fiasco he was feeling closer to them, but there was simply not the years of shared life experiences for him to automatically think of them in his distressed state.

The third one was originally going to be a long, scathing letter to Hermione. He had been all set to rip into her for once again ignoring him on orders from Dumbledore, until Remus had mentioned during his visit that not only was she still recovering from Dolohov's curse, but that her parents were all set to pull her out of Hogwarts and away from the magical world altogether. _No-one _had been in direct contact with her since she got home. Even letters from Minerva in her capacity as Head of Gryffindor House and Deputy Principal of Hogwarts had been replied to in a blistering manner by her mother and father.

That had pulled him up short. She hadn't abandoned him. She was just cut off due to circumstances outside her control. It was something he could thoroughly sympathise with.

So, his intended rant had instead become a quick note that he was coming to her place the next day to pick her up on his way to the reading of Sirius Black's Will, since she was required to be present at Gringotts too.

That was another bombshell Remus had dropped on him during his visit. The Goblins had been willing to delay the reading due to Harry being in a coma, him being one of the primary recipients. But now that he was awake, they were going ahead. And Harry was going to be there. Or else.

He had been surprised at that, figuring that Dumbledore wouldn't want him away from the relative safety of the Dursley's or Hogwarts. Remus _then _let slip that Sirius had stipulated that if Harry was not present in person, then the _entire _Black fortune and estate would be given directly to the Malfoys. Moony also hinted at other consequences if Harry wasn't there. Apparently, while Harry's safety was a priority, allowing that much wealth and dark family knowledge to fall into the hands of Voldemort and the Death Eaters would be a disaster for the light side. So, Dumbledore himself, along with a full compliment of Order members, was going to escort Harry to Gringotts.

This led to a fourth note being sent, asking Molly Weasley to bring Harry's Trust Vault key with her on the day.

So now he was just seeing to a couple of quick errands to while away the hours until it was time for them to leave. Just one little thing to pick up, then off to the Grangers with Dumbledore.

* * *

Harry and Dumbledore Apparated into a quiet corner of a large park, two blocks from the Granger's place. The headmaster quickly erected Notice-Me-Not and Muggle-Repelling charms around their corner of the park, then led Harry away. Around them, a dozen pops of varying loudness happened, signifying that disillusioned Order members were apparating in and taking up a loose perimeter around the both of them.

Shortly, Dumbledore was knocking on the Granger's front door. After a moment, the door was opened by a fortyish man with dark brown hair. It was cut close to his scalp so that the unruly curls were not too obvious.

_'I always figured that Hermione would have gotten her hair from her mother.' _Harry thought absently.

"Headmaster." Daniel Granger stated evenly. "I thought my wife and I had made our position clear about visitors from your school in our last communication."

"Indeed you did, Mister Granger." Albus agreed. "However, it is not I who wished to come here today." The Headmaster stood aside to reveal Harry.

"And you are?" Mr Granger asked, although a level of recognition could clearly be seen on his face. The fact that Harry was currently dressed in the same school robes that his daughter wore helped too.

"Harry Potter, sir."

"Yes. You look exactly like she described you." The man took a deep breath, then sighed. "Very well, _you _can come in. I shudder to think what she'd do to me if I turned _Harry Potter _away." He nodded at Harry as he stepped back from the door and waved him inside.

Dumbledore, looking somewhat disgruntled at having the door quickly slammed in his face, sighed once again at how distant Harry had become since he woke up. He then disillusioned himself and proceeded to stand guard at the doorstep. He had briefly toyed with the idea of placing a listening charm on Harry, but decided not to. If the boy found out, its quite likely that they would never gain his trust again after all that has happened so far on Dumbledore's orders.

* * *

Harry stepped inside and looked around the living room he was now in. It felt surprisingly warm, with soft browns and greens everywhere. Photo's adorned every spare bit of ledge and wall, all full of family and friends. Harry wished bitterly that he could have grown up in a family capable of producing such obvious love and affection towards its members.

"How is Hermione, Mr. Granger? I've been out of contact with my friends until very recently, and I've only had the chance to send the one letter by owl."

"It was _you _that sent that white menace yesterday?" Emma Granger almost shouted from where she had entered the room from the kitchen. She crossed the room and stood beside her husband.

"Yah. Hedwig can get a bit unpleasant if you try to get in her way when she's on a mission." Harry replied with a shrug.

"Your not kidding!" Hermione's mother responded crossly. "We had been chasing away any owls that had been coming here. Most of them took off after a swat from the broom. _That _one nearly clawed out my eyes when I tried. We've both still got cuts from her." She continued as both Grangers rolled up their sleeves to show off the band-aids they wore that went up to their elbows. "Finally, we gave up and let the little horror through."

"And didn't Mie have quite the smirk on her face as she untied the letter." Mr. Granger added with a slight grin.

"She knows how determined Hedwig can be." Harry chuckled. "I take it that she's well?"

Mrs. Granger nodded. "She was still taking those... potions?" Harry nodded reassuringly when she hesitated. "Those potions to repair the internal damage up until two days ago. But she's all healed up now."

"Great! May I go up and see her, please?"

"...very well." Mrs. Granger nodded. "I'll take you up." Harry followed her out of the room and upstairs.

When they reached what he assumed to be Hermione's room, he turned and spoke to her mother. "Mrs. Granger? Don't hate your daughter for her ability to do magic."

Mrs Granger looked at him askance and asked why he thought he should have any say in how they raise their daughter.

"Because...because I was raised in a household that violently loathed magic, and anyone who could use it. And I wouldn't wish the ten years before I started at Hogwarts on my worst enemy." He said quietly.

"..." Mrs Granger's mouth opened and shut a few times, before she finally found an answer for the boy in front of her. "Harry, Dan and I would _never _hurt our daughter simply because she can do magic. We just think that it's become too dangerous for her to stay at that place. For heavens sake, she nearly _died _a couple of months ago!" Her voice was almost shrill.

"I...I understand, ma'am. I really do. I hate the fact that she was hurt while helping me. If I had my way, she would be far away from me, and all the crap that seems to follow me around like a psychotic puppy." Harry said earnestly. "But, she's my best friend. And she will follow me to the ends of the earth to help me, whether I want her to or not." He stated with a sad smile. "She also loves magic. Learning about it. Using it. Twisting it until it does what she wants it to. Taking that away from her would cripple her in a way I don't think she would ever recover from."

Mrs. Granger pondered what Harry had said. It was a point of view that both she and her husband hadn't fully considered before now.

"And while this probably isn't the best time to say so, she needs to complete her education so she can learn to defend herself from the types of people who did this to her." Harry said fervently. "Because she is quite well known in our society as my best friend. And that makes her a target to the type of people who want me dead." Harry swallowed nervously before he continued. "Her, and quite possibly the people who gave birth to her, as well."

Mrs. Granger's eyes widened slightly. "Your Headmaster has said similar things to us recently. We've, ah, we've been avoiding contact with the magical world since..." She trailed off and glanced at Hermione's door. "Do you... Do you know anyone who could help make our home safe?"

"Um... We have a friend, Ron Weasley, who's older brother does wards and stuff for both Gringotts and Dumbledore's little group. I could ask him if he'd mind putting some up the next time I see him. Or you could ask Dumbledore himself to do some."

Mrs. Granger looked conflicted. "Ron Weasley? That would be your other friend? Hermione has written about him a few times in her letters over the years. Would you mind asking your friend's brother for us please? I know he's your headmaster, but Dan and I..."

"Don't really trust him after recent events, and don't want to owe him a favour, or give him anything to hold over your head in the future?" Harry finished, catching on surprisingly quickly. When she stopped looking shocked that a teenager would realise something like that and nodded in a resigned manner, he spoke again. "It's okay, I understand. He's the British Wizarding Community's Leader of the Light, and really does mean well. But he's not above laying the mother of all guilt trips on you if it'll make things run smoother for him. And this is just the kind of foot in the door he adores using. _'For all the things I've done for you, I just need a little favour in return. Here, have a lemon drop while you think about it.'_" Harry finished in an eerily accurate impression of Dumbledore.

"...thank you. When you see this warding-person, could you make sure to get a quote from him as to how much it's likely to cost. I'm guessing that we'll need to convert some Pounds to Galleons to pay him."

"Sure." Harry replied, becoming slightly impatient.

Mrs. Granger noticed this, and knocked on the door. "Hermione? Harry Potter's here."

"Be down in a minute, Mum." Came the excited reply.

"Don't bother, he's right here with me sweetie."

"Eep!" She squeaked. "One more minute!"

That one minute turned into three before the bedroom door finally opened. "Harry!" Hermione bounced through the door and wrapped the boy in question in a mighty hug.

"Hey, Hermione." Harry replied in a soft voice as he returned the hug with equal vigour. It was a couple of minutes and a not-so-discreet cough from her mother before Hermione stepped back.

"Um, hi Harry." She stammered as she held him at arms length. _'He's never hugged me back like that before. I wonder what's up?' _"How has your summer been?"

"No-one's told you?" Harry blurted out, before his brain engaged. "Oh yeah, you've been out of touch."

"Yes, I have." Hermione sent a glare at her mother. "What happened?"

"Tell you later." The teen evaded. "Why were you still taking potions? You said it was all done with before we even hopped on the train back from Hogwarts."

"Well, I was. Mostly. I ah, there was still some internal damage that needed repairing and, well, I..."

"_Didn't want anyone to worry_." Harry said the last words together with Hermione, causing them both to chuckle.

"Yeah, that." She finished sheepishly.

Harry grinned at her, "Wow Hermione, that's a pretty good impersonation of me. Though, if you _really _want to earn your 'Saviour-Of-The-Wizarding-World' badge, your gonna have to get yourself the obligatory Dark Lord lusting after your painful demise. As well as a cool-looking scar, of course." He finished by flipping his hair back in an exaggerated manner, _a la _Gilderoy Lockheart, and exposing his scar flamboyantly in the process.

By now she had caught on, and decided to play along. "Can I have yours?"

Harry looked affronted, "_No way! _Voldemort's mine. Find your own Dark Lord." He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "How about Draco? _The Dark Ferret! The Evil Lord Ponce of Slytherin!_"

Hermione faked a retch. "Ew! No thanks. I have standards, you know."

After some more laughter, with a confused parent looking on wondering what the joke was, Harry asked if she was ready to go.

"Do you know how long this is likely to take?" Mrs. Granger asked as Hermione answered that she was ready now.

"The rest of the afternoon at least. There are a few people noted in his will, so I'm told, and there's bound to be some sort of squabbling over it." Harry sighed deeply. Sirius' loss was still very recent to him, and with everything else he had gone through this summer so far he hasn't really had a chance to process that yet. "He was the last living _direct _descendant of a very wealthy Ancient and Noble House within the British wizarding community. So I imagine _someone's _going to try and grab more than their fair share of his estate."

Mrs. Granger hummed her understanding as they all headed downstairs.

"Bye Mum. Bye Dad." Hermione kissed both her parents on the cheek.

"Bye dear. Be safe." Her mother replied.

"Don't worry Mr. and Mrs. Granger. Albus is escorting us. And I will protect Hermione with my life if need be." Harry said solemnly.

"_Oooh_-kay." Mr. Granger nodded, a little stunned at that declaration. He resolved to ask his daughter exactly _how _close this boy was to her when she returned.

"And if it's going to go on too long, we will contact you and let you know."

"Thank you."

With a final wave, they opened the door and stepped outside to greet Dumbledore.

* * *

Notes: If a wizards vault key is so precious, why does Molly always seem to have Harry's. I honestly can't remember him using it himself _once _after 'The Philosopher's Stone'. The Weasleys always seemed to have it. Perhaps another subtle piece of control over Harry, tying him financially to the Weasleys? Though I think it backfired a bit during the Deathly Hallows. Even with just access to the Galleons in his trust vault during the Horcrux search, I can imaging living in a tent would have quickly become a _last _resort.

Then again, maybe J.K. simply didn't want to deal with any implications over whether Harry had more than just the trust vault…


	5. People Bug Me, Sometimes

Harry Potter: The Power He Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: Who's house? J.K.'s house! I'm just passing through…

Notes: Still puttering on…

* * *

CHAPTER FOUR:- (People bug me, sometimes.)

From the time Harry and Hermione exited her house, all during the walk to Dumbledore's hidden Apparition point, exiting the Leakey Cauldron Apparition area, the length of Diagon Alley, and right up to the front entrance of Gringotts, Hermione had been trying to get out of Harry precisely what had happened to him during the summer at his relative's place. Seeing that Harry was not going to answer, Dumbledore had politely offered to explain before they even left the street she lived on, but had been silenced with a glare by an increasingly irate Boy-Who-Lived.

Finally, just before walking through into the lobby of Gringotts, Harry grabbed her arm and pulled her to one side.

"Hermione, so far my summer has been the crappiest yet, which is _really_ saying something! And two weeks ago I nearly died in _another _attack by Voldemort." Hermione gasped at that. "Today, I have to go in there and listen to something that irrevocably proves that one of the two last direct links to my parents is..." He held her at arms length and looked imploringly into her eyes. "So please, for now, _Let. It. Go!_ I promise, I will sit down with you sometime soon and explain. Okay?" He finished with a pleading look.

Hermione nodded, finally realising that this really was _not _the time to be trying to force Harry to talk. "O-Okay Harry. And I'm sorry for pushing."

"Forgiven." He said, giving her a brief hug before stepping back and squaring his shoulders. "Lets get this over with."

* * *

Entering the lobby, the trio strode over to a Goblin teller and explained why they were there. That goblin called for another goblin. After checking a list in front of him, _that _goblin called for yet _another _goblin to guide them to the room where the will reading was to take place, and gave Harry and Hermione a sharp look when they both thanked him for doing his job. Their guide led them to a room only a short distance away from the lobby and invited them to enter. As the goblin left, he told them that the reading would start in half an hour.

Inside they found that there were several people already there. Dumbledore began naming those present they might not be familiar with. Mostly distant cousins to the main Black line, or those related through marriage, and the like. He also pointed out who the Order _knew _to be Death Eaters, and who they only suspected. Both groups were surprisingly large. Narcissa and Draco Malfoy, they were already familiar with. And their presence caused no small amount of worry for the Order members present, even with Lucius still in Azkaban.

Remus Lupin walked over, accompanied by Nymphadora Tonks and her parents, Andromeda and Ted.

"Hermione! Good to see that your well." Remus greeted before glaring at Dumbledore briefly and introducing Tonks' parents.

"Thank you. It's nice to see you guys as well." Hermione responded. She was about to say something further when Harry grunted a brief greeting to Tonks' parents and wandered away. "Harry! What-?"

"Let him go, Hermione." Remus held her elbow gently as she tried to go after the other teen. "Harry's very angry with a lot of us in the Order right now. And unfortunately, he's got some very good reasons to be." He finished with another glare at the Headmaster.

"He said something about Voldemort attacking him, a couple of weeks ago. Does it have anything to do with that?"

Remus and Albus nodded their heads dejectedly while Ted, Andromeda and Nymphadora jumped slightly at the mention of the Dark Lord's name. "Yes, unfortunately." Albus voiced. "However, as young Harry told you outside, this is neither the time nor place to be having that discussion." He looked pointedly at the Malfoys, as well as the assembled Black relatives when it looked as if Hermione was going to continue demanding some answers loudly.

"Fine." She grumbled and folded her arms across her chest in a huff.

"'Lo, Hermy. What's got you in a tizz this time?" She whipped around to give whoever it was calling her that stupid name a piece of her mind, when she realised that it was Ron Weasley wearing a grin. Behind him were Arthur, Molly, Ginny, Fred, George and surprisingly, Bill, their eldest son. _'Although I should have expected that. He does work here, after all.' _She thought to herself.

"Harry."

"Ah. Still pissed at us, is he?" Ron replied, sounding halfway between sheepish at not writing his best friend over the summer and annoyed that Harry hadn't forgiven him as quickly as he did after the first task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

"Ronald! Language." Molly shouted as she cuffed her youngest son behind the ear. Ignoring his son's squeal of pain, Arthur turned to Hermione.

"As Remus has no doubt informed you by now, Harry's not happy with us. And quite rightly so, considering how badly we failed him." He was about to continue, but was interrupted.

"Weasleys." Harry said in a low tone, giving the assembled red heads a brief stare. "My vault key please, Mrs. Weasley."

"Harry, there's no need-"

"_Key_." Harry interrupted Molly coldly, hand still extended. "Please."

"Harry, I really don't think you need to be worrying about that right now. I am more than capable of taking care of it for you until your older, and out of school-"

"Are you saying that I don't _deserve _to be in possession of the key to my own vault?" He announced loudly, drawing the attention of the whole room. "Are you saying that I'm not _fit _to have access to the vault _my_ _parents _left me upon their deaths? _**Is that what your saying, Molly Weasley!**_"

By now, mutters were rolling around the room about how the Weasley Matriarch was acting, withholding the vault key of The-Boy-Who-Lived. The odd person wondered aloud about the reasons _why _she might be so reluctant to hand it over.

Arthur noted this, and fearing the consequences of the rumours towards his family if she continued procrastinating, leant in to his wife. "Dear, this is neither the time nor place to be stubborn about who can better keep Harry's possessions safe. Give it to him please. We can talk about it later."

Molly looked from her husband to Harry. "I...I can't."

Harry's eyes grew colder. "Why not."

"I..." She took a deep breath and fixed him with her 'Molly-knows-best' glare. "I left it at home."

"_Why?"_

"Because boys your age shouldn't have to worry about finances. Because you would spend it on useless things if someone didn't keep it locked up for you for a rainy day, the same as any other teenager. It's my job as a surrogate mother to take care of that for you, so you can concentrate on having a proper childhood. Your parents-"

"Left that vault for me, as I understand it." Harry interrupted, furious at her arrogant presumption. "As such, it's mine, and mine _alone _to decide what to do with." Turning his back on her, he shot at Dumbledore, "You've trained her well, haven't you Albus. She's spouting the exact same crap you did, right after...after Sirius..." Harry winced and took a moment to compose himself.

Squaring his shoulders, he faced the Weasleys again, "Keep the bloody thing. It'll be useless by the time I leave this bank, anyway. I'll make _sure _of it!" He hissed and stalked away.

Hermione looked from the stunned Weasleys to her best friends retreating back, and came to a decision. She did not know the exact circumstances of whatever happened a couple of weeks ago, but she'd be damned if she left him to deal with it alone. "You should be ashamed of yourself, Mrs. Weasley." She snapped, before she turned and went after the boy in question.

"That went well, dinnit." Nymphadora said after a few moments of shocked silence. "Really earning his trust back, aren't we. Yay Weasleys."

"This is hardly the time for levity, Nymphadora." Dumbledore scolded.

"Hardly the time for theft of personal property either, _Albus_." She shot back. "And if Harry hadn't mentioned that you can keep that soon-to-be useless vault key as he left, Molly, I'da been tempted to run you in for exactly that."

"_**What!**_"

"Still an Auror, Molly." She tapped her badge which was on the inside of her robes for emphasis. "And you _are _breaking the law by keeping Harry's property from him. Think about it." With that, she led her parents away, closely followed by Remus.

"Well, I never..." Molly huffed. "That rude little-"

"Molly Weasley!" Arthur cut her off, surprising just about everyone present. "We will talk about this later. _After _the Will reading."

"Which, I believe, is just about to begin." Dumbledore pointed to the impressively garbed goblin who had just entered the room.

"Everyone who is present here for the reading of the will of Sirius Orion Black follow me." The goblin said gruffly, before turning and exiting the room.

* * *

Notes: A few people may wonder why Molly is acting like she is after the dressing down she gave Dumbledore in Chapter One. In my eyes, her rant was because she cared for Harry like one of her own. Trying to hold onto his vault key is just an extension of that care, in her mind. Harry's just not willing to let her, or anyone else, keep that amount of control over himself any more.

BONUS! I inadvertently uploaded the wrong chapter for this fic into my Doc Manager. So, instead of deleting it and posting it again in a week or so, I'm going to put it up immediately. 'Cause I'm lazy.

So, two chapters for the price of one. T


	6. Where there's a Will

Harry Potter: The Power He Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: I could try to be funny and zany and off the wall and add llama's and an orchestra pit to this disclaimer (_a la _Bobmin), but I'm just not that good. So I'll simply say that I do not own Harry Potter.

Notes: ...drawing a blank.

* * *

CHAPTER FIVE:- (Where there's a Will...)

As everyone filed in, they noticed place cards on the seats, indicating who should sit where. It eventually turned out that the Blacks and their affiliates, along with Narcissa Malfoy, all ended up on the left side of the room. The Order members and the Weasleys were seated on the right. Harry and Draco ended up in the middle at the front, away from both sides but still two metres apart.

Draco glared daggers at Harry, while Harry settled for a dismissive snort before shifting his attention to the apparently blank sheet of paper that had been sitting on the chair when he arrived.

"No matter what that mongrel blood traitor tries to do to protect you here today in his will, the Dark Lord will find you and kill you, scarhead. Just you wait and see." Draco whispered in what he thought was a menacing voice.

"Considering that your pathetic half-blood master is nothing more than an evil fart blowing in the wind right now, you'll forgive me for not squealing in terror like a scared white ferret, Malfoy." Harry shot back absently as he finished reading the note and put it in his pocket.

Draco tried to come up with a cutting retort to the multitude of insults Harry had lobbed at him, but couldn't decide which one to answer first. In the end, he had to settle for just another murderous glare.

Once the last person was seated, the doors slid shut with a bang and a clunk, causing several people to jump in their seats. The lights then dimmed, and the goblin in charge of executing the will stepped on to the raised platform and proceeded to the dais at the centre. Placing the bulging leather folder he carried onto the lectern, he spent a minute organising himself before he spoke.

"Wizards. Witches. My name is DragonsBane. You are gathered here today for the reading of the Final Will and Testament of one Sirius Orion Black. To any of you who would try to object to the contents of this will on account of the deceased apparently being a convicted murderer who escaped from Azkaban, and thus be ineligible to disburse the Black Family wealth, property and heirlooms however he sees fit, let me first state this; Gringotts has _**never **_received from the Wizengamot _**or **_the Department of Magical Law Enforcement _**any **_official notification that Mr. Black was _**ever **_charged with a crime. _**Furthermore**_, we could find _**no **_record of a trial, _**nor **_court records that proved his guilt and subsequent sentencing to Azkaban."

The goblin let the assembled witches and wizards shout loudly amongst themselves for a time.

Harry just stared ahead blankly, before standing up and rounding on Dumbledore. "You stupid, senile, old fart! You mean to tell me that the goblins had all the proof we needed to clear my Godfather's name, and you didn't ever think to _ask them_?"

"_Quiet! _I will have quiet in this room!" The goblin roared at the assembled wizards and witches in general, and Harry in particular. When he had seated himself again, the goblin continued, "Any more outbursts like that, Mister Potter, and I will have you removed from this room, thus causing you to forfeit anything you may receive here today." The goblin glared at him over the lectern.

"I'd complain loudly about that, scarhead." Draco leant over and faux-whispered.

"That includes you too, _young _Mister Malfoy." The goblin switched his glare to the blonde.

After Draco managed to bite back a sneer and sit properly in his own seat, DragonsBane continued, "And so, with the above verified by the most stringent means available to both wizard- and goblin kind, Mister Black's Will is completely legal. Thus, we are magically bound to uphold it."

A lot of grumbling came from the Black side of the room. A great many of them had been hoping to be able to break the Will of the last member of the direct line of the Blacks on just such a legal technicality as him being a convicted murderer, and so let them plunder the Black Family Vaults of everything of value. Now, they were just bystanders waiting to see who got what. And to see if those that did get something could be..._convinced_...to give it up, one way or another.

"Also, seeing as how Sirius Black was never _officially_ removed from the line of inheritance, he remained the sole surviving _legitimate _heir to the Black fortune up until his untimely death."

Even more grumbles from the left side of the room.

"And now we come to the Will itself." DragonsBane unfolded a thick yellow parchment which fairly reeked of magic, such were the enchantments on it to make sure Sirius' will was done.

"THE FINAL WILL AND TESTAMENT OF SIRIUS ORION BLACK:-

I, Sirius Orion Black, of a reasonably sound mind and a superbly gorgeous body,"

Harry chuckled at that despite himself. He wasn't the only one.

"do so offer these last tokens of my friendship and appreciation. To Andromeda Tonks, I offer you the chance to once again become a Black, if you still want to Cuz. I remember you always being a bit sad about being cast out, despite how dark our family has always been. I'd hold off on making an official decision for a couple of weeks though, just so you can talk with Ted and Nymphadora, and think it through. Oh, and have an even hundred thousand Galleons for you and your husband while your at it, no matter what you decide."

Andromeda, who'd been in tears so far, nearly fainted at that last.

"Remus, my old friend, you get the keys to the Dog House, my old flat in SoHo. It's still there, somewhere, under a _Fidelius _Charm (Brilliant idea that. It hides the flat, and you never have to pay the rent!), but DragonsBane knows where it is. And you get a hundred thousand Galleons to renovate it. Renovate your wardrobe while your at it, hey!"

Remus tried to smile and growl at the same time.

"Nymphadora! Nymphadora! How I adore thee, Nymphadora!" The woman in question shook her head at her favourite cousin's childishness. And she almost laughed at how it sounded, being read aloud by a stern goblin. "I also give you the opportunity to become a Black once again. Talk to your Mum about it. And don't think I haven't noticed where your eyes have been wandering during _those _meetings. I heartily approve! So here's thirty thousand Galleons to buy yourself a new wardrobe to catch the old fart's eye with. You'll need it, Moony can be a bit stubborn sometimes."

Nymphadora went bright red at that, while Remus started choking in shock. They looked at each other briefly, then looked away.

"Albus, I leave you one hundred thousand Galleons, to be paid when the Potter Will is finally unsealed and read to my godson, Harry James Potter. You have one month from the reading of _this _will to do so and claim this. Otherwise, that money will revert to Harry. In the mean time, here's thirty silver Sickles. Its all you deserve, in my opinion."

Albus gulped as the entire room turned to look at him. In the wizarding world, a Will is almost sacred. You may fight over it, even attempt to break it. But you never hide it. To do so can bring charges of attempted Line Theft against you, a very serious charge in a society where magic can trace bloodlines back centuries, and blood status is all-important to the ruling class. And as an Ancient and Noble House, the Potters were a part of that ruling class. This was going to take some very careful finagling to get that will read without drawing any charges against himself. Damn that Sirius!

Harry bit the inside of his cheek as he forced himself to stare straight ahead. He didn't trust himself to not fly off at the handle right now.

"To Arthur and Molly Weasley, I thank you for taking Harry into your home, as well as your hearts, and giving him the love he has been denied for so long." The Weasley parents started squirming in their seats. "And I know you will continue to guide him without smothering him, and letting him make his own decisions. It's something he hasn't had much of in his life so far." Now they were looking down at their feet, completely mortified after what had happened just before the reading had started. "And Molly, while we've had our disagreements about raising Harry, don't let that colour your treatment of him. He is his own man."

George leant over to his twin. "Wow, talk about rubbing salt in an open wound! It's almost as if Padfoot had been outside, writing his will down as it happened."

"Yeah. It'd be funny if it wasn't so sad and pathetic." Fred whispered back.

"So instead of giving you any money up front, which I know you'd hate, I am instead going to pay off all the outstanding debts the Weasley family owe. Including the loans you two took out to pay for your children's education. Ron and Ginny are paid up until they finish at Hogwarts, too. So take this fresh start and run with it, okay?"

Molly fainted. Arthur nearly followed suit, but needed to keep his wife upright.

"Fred and George Weasley." The twins sat up in their seats. "No money for you two lunatics. You'll soon be making enough with Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes without any help from me." They grinned and puffed out their chests proudly. "So I'm going to leave you two something infinitely more useful: The Marauder's Notebook. It details everything we tried during our time at Hogwarts, including the pranks we couldn't get to work for one reason or another. You might find something you can use in there. Have fun!"

One of the legendary Marauder's giving them a book chock full of all their past pranks. Fred and George had mentioned their plans to Sirius a few times during their various stays at Grimmauld Place in the past. It seems that he had more than a little faith in them. The twins looked like they were in the middle of a religious experience. Harry half expected them both to start writhing on the floor and speaking in tongues.

"All I ask is that you let Harry look at it when he wants to. Both his father and later, his mother made notes in it. I'm sure he'd appreciate holding something of theirs in his hands occasionally."

Harry looked back at them with a hopeful expression. He got nods and thumbs up from both of them.

"Ronald Billius Weasley." The youngest male Weasley perked up. "I'm hoping by the time this is read that you will have gotten over your childish jealousy at Harry's perceived fame. I also hope you've learnt that friendship is more important than that jealousy, or orders from interfering old men." Ron coughed, embarrassed. "So I am leaving you twenty-five thousand Galleons." His eyes started glittering. "However, you will only be able to access it after you reach twenty-five years of age." Now his face started to cloud over at the unfairness of it all. "I want it to be used to help you buy a family home, or somesuch. By that age, I'm guessing you will be married, or at least engaged. So its to give you a jumpstart in that respect." Ron started to get up to yell about how unfair it all was, but was restrained by his father. Firmly.

"Hermione Jane Granger." She jumped a little at her name being called. She had been focusing on Harry. "I give you the same as Ron. Twenty-five thousand Galleons, to be held in trust until your twenty-fifth birthday. Whether the same reasons will apply is up to you." She blushed at the implication. "Also, I leave you a trunk filled with books from the Black family library." Her blush deepened, while Arthur now had his hands full restraining his youngest son _and _his wife. "I know you will use them well, but be warned! Not all knowledge is benign, and some of those books are more than a little dark. And before Molly starts up, Hermione is best friends with my godson Harry, which means she will come up against the foulest of magics sooner or later. They will both need to be able to defend themselves." Hermione nodded at the seriousness of both what the man was trying to get across, as well as the responsibility he was placing on her to help Harry against Voldemort.

"And now to the two big ones." Harry and Draco both straightened up in their chairs.

"To Harry James Potter, I leave ownership of the house and property I resided in until my death, and all contents within. As it is under the Fidelius Charm, I can not name it here. Rest assured, both my godson and DragonsBane are both aware of the address, and the paperwork can be done privately. Title will pass to Harry, no matter what. I have also declared him to be the Regent of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black in the event of my untimely death. The choice to accept this will be his, though. Harry, as much as I would like to make you my Heir, and thus the next Lord of the House of Black, I can't. The family traditions on this are both immutable and deadly. _Toujours Pur _in all things, sadly. In fact, the Black Lordship ring has a curse on it that will kill any who are not of sufficiently pure blood."

Narcissa Malfoy paled considerably upon hearing that, and began sneaking worried looks at her smirking son.

"However, in the past my ancestors have occasionally needed a way around their own arrogance. As such, the position of Regent was encouraged to continue into these modern times. Basically, it will mean that you will be the guardian of the current wealth of the House of Black. Until Draco Malfoy is ready to ascend to his Lordship and the Wizengamot seat that goes with it upon reaching his twenty-fifth birthday, (and it will be his if he wants it, seeing as he is the closest eligible relation to the main Black line through his mother) you will be charged with keeping the remaining Black properties and wealth to its current level for him. You will not be able to spend it, nor transfer it into any of your own accounts. Seeing as there is, or will be after the next part of my will is read, a living and official heir, you will have to tend to his inheritance as it is now."

Draco's expression had gradually changed from shock at hearing Harry's new position to an angry pout. He, however, possessed enough basic restraint to hold off from an objection until he was officially named heir. _Then _he would see about changing this travesty!

"Also, have no fears about the little ponce turning around and removing you. Until he reaches his twenty-fifth birthday, he will have zero authority to alter your position."

Now, Draco was almost apoplectic with rage. That miserable little scarhead was about to hold a true position of authority over _him_!

"You can enter the Black vaults to check on things. You can not remove anything. He can enter any Black property, and invite others. You can _also _enter any Black property, invite others, as well as magically override the wards and eject any visitors you believe are not up to what you feel are the proper standards of an Ancient and Noble house. Your new status will also give you a greater range of freedom and movement within the wizarding world so that you can better fulfil your responsibilities. This includes being able to leave Hogwarts at will if you need to. Plus, you now control the Black seat via proxy on the Wizengamot. The Goblins will supply you with all the relevant materials to inform you of your rights and responsibilities as Regent when you sign the paperwork."

Oddly, Dumbledore's expression was now beginning to mirror Draco's.

"Harry, while this position decreases your personal safety factor _slightly _from what it was before," Several smirks and snorts were heard from those in the know, "have no fear of Draco trying something against you. And while I personally don't believe that you'd _ever _seriously entertain the thought, nor should you try something against him. If you both accept the particulars of my Will, you will be entering into a binding magical contract. You cannot harm each other directly. And if something does happen to _either _of you, the other must undergo Veritaserum questioning in front of the Wizengamot to ascertain whether they had any direct or indirect part in the attack on the other. The penalties will be..._severe_...if either of you are found guilty."

Harry grinned. While he had planned to ignore the existence of Draco as much as possible this year, he could work with this.

"Well, that's it pup. I'm sorry its come to this, 'cause it means that I've once again failed you in my duty as your Godfather, and left you alone. I can only hope that I was either doing something heroic to save your butt when I bought the big one, or I died in bed with busty triplets of orgasmic heart failure at one hundred and forty and forgot to change my will."

Harry chuckled as he whispered words of forgiveness for Padfoot's spirit.

"At least I'm with Prongs and Lily now. We'll be watching over you with love, pup. See ya!"

Harry glanced over at Draco for the first time since his part of the will had started and nearly burst out laughing. The other teenager's face was so red, it looked like he was going to explode. Even _Voldemort _had never looked at him with such complete and utter loathing in his eyes. He couldn't resist.

"You should calm down, Draco. Really! I'd hate to see you hurt yourself before you even come under my care." He asked in a concerned tone, reaching out to pat the boy on the shoulder.

Draco nearly drew his wand at that. "_Kill...You_..." He snarled through clenched teeth.

"Now now, we'll be entering into a magically binding contract shortly that's specifically designed to stop that sort of thing. Wouldn't want anything nasty to happen to you right from the get-go, would we?" Harry said cheerfully.

Spittle was foaming from the corners of his mouth. "_Dieeeeeeeee_..." He hissed.

"Ahem." DragonsBane cleared his throat. "As entertaining as this is, may I continue?"

"Sure!" Harry said brightly. Draco just nodded and clenched his knees so tightly, Harry thought they were going to crumble into powder under the pressure.

"To my esteemed cousin, Draco Scorpius Malfoy, I name you the Heir to the title of Lord Black, of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Should you wish to accept this title, you will officially no longer be known as a Malfoy, or considered a member of that family, and thus will forfeit _all _rights, contracts, responsibilities and privileges associated with your former family. You will be instead known as Draco Scorpius Black. Upon your twenty-fifth birthday, you will fully inherit the rights and responsibilities that come with being a Lord of the House of Black. Until that time, I will be entrusting your life and education to the afore mentioned Regent, Harry James Potter."

Harry swore later that he could see the faintest stirrings of raw magic sparking out of Draco's body.

"Although, if Harry _doesn't _accept the position, it will automatically go to one Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. It'll give the old fool a chance to screw over some other poor young kid, and maybe leave Harry alone."

Albus perked up, while Harry nearly fell off his chair at the sheer cheek of his Godfather. And Draco, upon hearing that, broke into a cold sweat over the possibility of having the leader of the light looking over his shoulder twenty-four/seven. The Dark Lord would use his peeled skin as toilet paper, not to mention what his _father _would do to him when he got out of Azkaban. "Don't you _dare _leave me to the mercy of that deranged, muggle-loving nutter!" He hissed quickly to Harry.

"You sure?" Harry replied, fighting to keep a straight face. "I mean, I'm just l'il Potty the scarhead. Wouldn't you rather have a pure-blood of the Headmaster's advanced years and experience watching every move you make, providing his own special brand of guidance through your formative years, pouting at you to just 'do the right thing' and 'it's all for the greater good', and force-feeding you lemon drops?"

Seeing Harry apparently having second thoughts about taking up the Regency position, Draco mentally went through what he could offer to convince him. Sexual favours were not out of the question at the moment. "_NO!_"

Harry let the other teen squirm for a minute, before coming to a decision. "Fine." He sighed. "I'll do it. And you'll owe me, BIG time!"

"Anything. I swear it." Draco exhaled with relief, not really making note of what words were coming out of his mouth in his panic.

"May I continue?" DragonsBane asked.

"Sure." Harry answered, giving him a small 'go-ahead' wave.

The Goblin grunted with some slight amusement before continuing, "As previously stated, you will have access to all Black property still within the family, as well as the heirloom vaults. The other aforementioned stipulations will also apply. Harry will be given a Black Family guide as to what he can, cannot, and will be _required _to do when he agrees to be Regent. As for pocket money, you will have to talk to the Regent about that, as it will be he who will set the amount you can access monthly."

Draco paled again, fighting the urge to vomit.

"Draco, putting aside everything else in your life for a moment, I believe that this decision I am placing before you right now is going to be the most important one you ever make. _Seriously!_" The entire right side of the room groaned. Even Narcissa made a noise in the back of her throat. They had been waiting for the man to work that horrible pun on his name in somewhere. "If you do this, then yes, you will be under the control of my Godson until you reach twenty-five years of age. Or Dumbledore. Oddly enough, two people who have survived several direct confrontations with your father's master, Voldemort." The Goblin frowned as several gasps and muffled screams went around the room. _'Pathetic humans. Afraid of a mere name.' _He thought to himself. Though he was curious to note that Harry Potter, and more than a few of the young man's friends, gave no reaction other than to snort at the adults antics. "However, that situation will not last forever. And when you reach your twenty-fifth birthday, you will be the head of a Noble and Most Ancient House."

Draco perked up at that, despite his uneasiness at how the day was going.

"Or, you remain a Malfoy, eventually bind yourself to Voldemort in slavery, and most likely die fighting for a man that doesn't give two shits about your continued existence at all. Bearing in mind that if you _do _manage to survive, your old man will most likely slither out of trouble as well. And since he's slightly more cunning than you, it'll be decades until he drops dead. You'll be tied to his whims for a good portion of your life, always under his control if you want to inherit."

Conflicting emotions were running rampant over Draco's face now. Including some thoughtful ones.

"Going either way will mean a degree of personal danger for yourself, no matter what you decide. And you _will _have to decide _before _you leave Gringotts. Harry, too. But, that is part and parcel with stepping up and playing with the big boys."

Harry was surprised to see that Draco appeared to be giving an enormous amount of consideration to Sirius' words. _'Hnh, maybe there's an ounce of common sense behind that sneer after all.'_

"Well, that's it! All done. Nothing left to give, except for a warning; Watch out for my distant relatives. Right now, I imagine that the left side of the room is lousy with Blacks wearing annoyed expressions." A quick look by the right side of the room proved exactly that. "Keep an eye on them. They will _not _be above trying to intimidate _anyone _who received something from me today into handing some or all of it over to themselves. Don't be afraid to step on them with extreme prejudice. Most of them are only one step up from Death Eaters, if they aren't already branded."

"This is Sirius, signing off. See you on the other side, _many _years from now!"

* * *

Notes: Yeah, I'm gonna go with the Potters being an Ancient and Noble House. Done to death, I know. But, I figure that if the Potter's hadn't had equal or higher status to the Black's within the British Wizarding Community when Sirius went to live with James after being kicked out of his home, a dark family like the Blacks would have extinguished the Potter line for daring to take him in. So yeah, old pure-blood family of equal or greater status.

Also, I recently came across a fic called 'Heaven Sent', by broomstick flyer, that mentioned the title of Regent. It was used in a slightly different context than in my fic. It's also a complete coincidence. I was seven chapters into this story before I came across it. So no stealing or disrespect meant by my usage of the term. It's just one of those things.

Oh, and Harry's gonna tear some strips of Dumbledore next chapter, too.


	7. There's a Way

Harry Potter: The Power He Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: See chapters 1 through 5. I think I've made it clear by now.

Notes: Choices are made, people are annoyed, and a young man takes custody of a new home and housemate.

* * *

CHAPTER 6:- (...there's a way.)

"Well, are you still going to do it?" Draco asked in a neutral tone. They had been ignoring each other for several minutes after the door to the room they were in had shut, and the young Slytherin couldn't stand the silence any longer.

After the Will reading had ended and the doors opened, both Harry and Draco had been told by DragonsBane to follow him into an adjacent chamber before anyone else could get to them. Dumbledore had looked put out at the fact that Harry hadn't looked his way for advice before walking away, Hermione looked worried, the adult Weasleys fretful, and Narcissa was almost frantic that she wasn't going to be able to speak to her son before he made his decision. Harry had managed to slip DragonsBane a note for Hermione as the goblin left them there to take care of the other disbursements.

"What?" Harry took his attention away from the mural that portrayed, in vivid and graphic detail, past Goblin battles that stretched around the walls behind the large desk at the far end of the room to focus on the least of his nemeses these days.

"Are you going to take the position of Regent?" Harry could see that the other teen was making an effort to be cordial to him. The strain of holding his tongue was obvious.

"Yeah, I am."

Draco let out a long sigh. "Do you have any idea what that position entails?"

"Nope!"

"Merlin save me, my life is now in the hands of a moron." He groaned softly.

Harry smiled. "Chill out, Malfoy. If I can survive everything in my life that I have so far, I think the care and feeding of a spoilt little Slytherin shouldn't be too much trouble."

"What! _You_...Who d'you...How _dare_...When my..." Draco sputtered.

Harry smiled and waited until the other teen stopped speaking incoherently. "Your going to have to grow thicker skin than that if your gonna survive the next few months, Malfoy."

"What do you mean by that?"

Harry shook his head. "Come on Malfoy, your not _that _stupid. At least, I hope your not." He scratched his chin, apparently deep in thought. "Although, it would explain a great many things..."

"Explain yourself!" Draco demanded.

Harry looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "No."

"NO?" Draco screamed. "What do you mean, No!"

"Exactly that. You have to choose whether or not to become the next Lord Black. While I agree with...with Sirius that it's gonna be a hard road for you no matter what you decide, I personally think that you'll live longer if you say yes. And before you start whinging," Draco pouted and closed his mouth, "I'm not happy about having to take care of you as well as myself either. My life's been pretty much crap up 'till now, and I wouldn't want anyone, even _you_, getting dragged into it."

Draco started to speak, stopped, tried again, but couldn't find the words to adequately express what he wanted to say. There had been far too many shocks for him today, and he wasn't used to dealing with it without both his parents there to guide him. Heck, he'd be happy to have Snape at his elbow right now, to help him make sense of it all. So, he fell into an uncomfortable silence and tried to ignore Harry.

Harry, for his part, felt a smidgen of sympathy. Draco had never had to deal with anything without a parent there to tell him what to do, he thought. And Harry would have given anything to have that kind of crutch beside him now. An adult he could trust to guide him, with no hidden agenda. Of the adults he felt could have been capable of the task, one was dead, one had sat by and let Voldemort ravage his mind this summer, the third had actually _put _him in that position in the first place, and the fourth wanted him wrapped in cotton wool and hidden far away from everything. He was alone. And while he was used to the feeling, he hated it with a passion.

After about an hour, DragonsBane re-entered the room.

"I have just finished disbursing the other sections of Sirius Black's will." The goblin said without preamble as he sat down behind the desk in front of the two teens. They quickly sat down in the chairs set in front of the desk. "Mister Potter, we will deal with your part of the Will first. Read these. Ask, if you have questions."

Harry grabbed the leather pouch offered to him and opened it up. After twenty minutes of flicking rapidly through the enclosed pages, he looked up. "Is…" Harry blinked as he stumbled over what was normally a familiar address. "What the-? Why can't I say…" His speech halted again suddenly.

DragonsBane's lips curled infinitesimally with amusement. "The _Fidelius_ Charm is still in effect for that particular property, mister Potter. Remember the difficulty your godfather had describing it in his will?"

"Damnit!" Harry growled to himself for forgetting that.

"Did you just try to say the name of a place under the _Fidelius_, Potter?" Draco snickered. "Surely not. Every _competent _wizard knows not to try that. I figured Granger, at least, would have set you straight about trying."

Harry, trying to ignore the gleeful sniggering coming from the other human occupant of the room and keep from blushing at the same time, attempted to ask his question a different way. "Can the goblins make me the secret keeper of the place Siri…that was mentioned, instead of the current person?"

"Not easily. You will need whoever is the secret keeper now to switch it, of their own free will. Our curse-breakers could possibly break the enchantment, but the cost would be high, and there's no guarantee that the other protections on the house would survive the process."

_'Of course it wouldn't be that easy.' _Harry sighed. "What about the wards?"

"Mister Black authorised myself to switch them to you as soon as you sign your acceptance of the will. Once that's done, we can travel there immediately and do it."

"Kreacher?" Harry spat the name.

"The House Elf comes with the house."

"Damnit." He groaned. "I wonder..." Filing the idea away for later, he refocussed on the immediate concerns. "Sirius mentioned something about greater freedom?"

"Yes." The goblin smirked. "Since you are currently underage, once you sign your acceptance of the Will's particulars, you will automatically be emancipated in the eyes of the Wizarding Government, so as to better perform your duties as Regent. Mister Black was most insistent on ensuring that that caveat was still valid."

Harry's eyes widened comically, while Draco sputtered at the unfairness of it all. _'Bloody Potter! Gets it all served to him on a silver platter, doesn't he!'_

_'Hot damn. Freedom! I could kiss you, Padfoot.' _Harry nearly leapt across the desk and snatched the quill out of the goblins hands right there, but managed to restrain himself. Barely. "_Right_." He squeaked, relishing the independence he was about to receive.

"Anything else?" DragonsBane prompted after a few moments.

Harry hurriedly gathered his wits about him and thought furiously. "Nothing that will stop me signing on the dotted line."

"So you wish to go ahead with Mister Black's stipulations?"

"Yes, I agree to Sirius' stipulations to receive my portion of his will." Harry intoned formally. Giving the parchment that was slid over to him a thorough read through, Harry grimaced with distaste at the Blood Quill he had to use to sign it. _'Bloody things!' _He swore as he rubbed his arm, where the words 'I must not tell lies' could still be seen on his skin.

"Excellent!" DragonsBane said as he made duplicates of the paperwork for Harry, the various internal departments inside the bank, and the Ministry of Magic. "You should receive official confirmation of your emancipation within the next day or two. If you don't, let us know. Our legal department will pursue the matter. Will you be residing at the aforementioned residence until you return to Hogwarts?" Harry nodded. "I will list that as your primary residence then, for our records." Harry nodded again. "Sign this. Yes, use the same quill." Harry did so, grumbling. "That confirms your acceptance of the position of Regent for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black." The goblin handed over a black leather pouch with an elaborate seal on the front. "That contains all the information pertinent to your position as Regent." A surprisingly understated gold ring with silver trim, bearing the Black family crest upon it, was handed over next. "And this is the ring that signifies your position as Regent for the House of Black. It will also unlock the pouch in front of you." Harry looked at it for a moment, before placing it on his left pinkie finger. It automatically resized to fit.

_'No going back now. I hope you know what your doing, Sirius.' _Harry thought, recalling the note that had been left for him on the seat when he came in. It had been short, and annoyingly coy:-

**Harry. **

**Trust me, and accept what I offer you in my will. All will be explained by the letter in my room at Grimmauld Place. Use the 'other' password. **

**Snuffles.**

The only reason he had gone along with the note was because it needed the Marauder's pass phrase to unlock it.

"I believe that is everything you need now, Regent Potter." Harry looked up sharply at that, then nodded slowly. "If you have further questions, do not hesitate to make an appointment with me." DragonsBane turned and pulled out another sheet of parchment. "Now to Mister Malfoy."

Draco took a deep, steading breath. The day had started out so promising. Come to Gringotts, raise the issue of Sirius Black being a convicted _escaped _felon, break the will, grab it all for himself as the nearest living eligible descendant to the main line of Blacks, and _volia!_ Draco would have been richer than his father could have ever _dreamed _of being, with a real shot of being elevated to Lord Voldemort's inner circle.

Now...

Now he just hoped to live past the end of the week.

"Read this. If you have any questions, ask. Although it is reasonably straight forward." DragonsBane slid a single sheet of parchment over to Draco.

The young Malfoy read through it quickly, using his childhood etiquette instruction about pureblood inheritance laws to process what was written. A few minutes later, he put it down shakily. _'Black and Potter are right, damn them. I'll be up to my ears in dragon dung no matter what I decide today.' _He admitted to himself reluctantly. "How much time do I have to think about this?"

DragonsBane pulled an ornate, solid gold pocket watch out of a pocket in his vest and popped it open. "I can give you one hour in this room to consider it. After that, I have business with Regent Potter. Wards and the like."

"Fine." He sighed, a hint of his usual arrogance making a reappearance. Rising to his feet, he walked to the furthest corner of the office, faced the wall, and thought.

Harry watched him go, before turning back to the goblin. "DragonsBane, while Draco is thinking, do you mind if I discuss some other business with you?"

"By all means, Regent Potter." Harry scowled at his new title as he pulled something wrapped in a tee shirt out of his school robes.

* * *

The hour was nearly up when Draco finally came back over to the others. He noticed distractedly that the goblin seemed to be making copious notes while recovering from a shock, while Potter was smirking slightly. Pushing it to one side, he spoke. "Alright. I accept the terms of the will."

* * *

Hermione was pacing in a waiting room, just off the main foyer of Gringotts. Both Harry and Draco had been gone over two hours, and she was getting anxious. She wasn't alone either. Both Dumbledore and Mrs. Malfoy looked ill at ease, and cast the occasional glances towards the entryway that led deeper into the bank. She was secretly glad that the Weasleys had not been allowed to stay here. No-one needed to listen to Molly Weasley's particular brand of histrionics right now.

Finally, Harry reappeared. Hermione pounced on him immediately and began babbling in a combination of annoyance, frustration and relief. She barely noted Mrs. Malfoy doing the same to Draco. And she completely missed DragonsBane slipping past them all to go further into the bank.

"Hermione. _Hermione!_" Harry pushed her backwards gently and held her at arms length. "What's got you all flustered?"

"I...I was worried." Hermione blushed lightly and looked at her feet. "You were gone for so long..."

"But, I told you in my note that I might be a while." Harry replied, bemused. "And here I am again, safe and sound."

"Indeed you are." Dumbledore agreed. "And may I enquire what you decided... Ah." The headmaster cut himself off, noticing the ring on Harry's hand. "You are going to go through with it." He sighed. "I truly do not think you understand what you are getting yourself into here, Harry. Do you not have enough on your shoulders without taking this on board as well? Could you not have allowed me to take this burden for you instead?"

Harry stepped away from Hermione and faced Dumbledore. "Well Albus, it was either myself, or you. And considering the cruelty you have shown yourself capable of when it comes to me, I felt it was only honourable to try and protect someone _else _from having to go through the life you have condemned me to so far." He spat. "Even someone like Draco."

"...Harry?" Hermione was shocked at her friend's attitude. And towards the headmaster too.

"Hermione, where was my room at the Dursleys until my Hogwarts letter arrived?" He asked gently.

"...you didn't have one. You lived under the stairs." She whispered, the faintest stirrings of where this conversation was going swirling in her mind.

"The _cupboard _under the stairs, to be precise." He repeated. "And that is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to my life with _them_. _That _was the life the _great_ Albus Dumbledore sentenced me to, 'for the greater good'. Do you really think that I would allow _anyone _else to be subjected to _his _idea of a healthy upbringing?"

Hermione's eyes glistened with unshed tears. Harry's life before Hogwarts was something both his best friends knew about only in the broadest terms. They knew that it was bad, but it was only in situations like this that they got a glimpse behind the barrier that Harry had perpetually raised on the subject. "But Harry, how could he have known?"

"He knew. He told me so himself, straight after Sirius died." Harry paused, searching for the appropriate memory, "How did it go, Albus? **_'You had suffered. I knew you would when I left you on your aunt and uncle's doorstep. I knew I was condemning you to ten dark and difficult years.'_ **Those were your exact words, I believe."

"Harry, I..." Dumbledore gulped and tried to make Harry understand. "As I told you at the time, I did not have many choices available to me. There were dark forces still seeking your death for what had happened that night."

"So checking up on me was completely out of the question?" Harry asked with a growl. "Looking in on me at least _once _was too much to ask, was it? And don't get me started on Mrs. Figg. She was almost as useless as you."

"Harry-"

"You know what?" Harry held up a hand. "I can't deal with this right now. I have far to much to do today to have this conversation with you. I've got to get the ward stone at Grimmauld place attuned to me, as well as figure out what I'm gonna do with Draco until school starts. Speaking of which-" He snapped his fingers, "Would you please switch the _Fidelius _on _my _house to me after I've sorted out the ward stone."

"Harry, I'm not sure that would be wise-"

"I, however, do." Harry interrupted. "And it will be done. Today. Or else."

"Threats now, Harry?" Dumbledore looked disappointed.

"Unfortunately, they seem to be necessary with you, Albus. Because common courtesy and respect for others rights, as well as their property, appears to be lost on you when it goes against your whims." Harry retorted angrily.

"Harry, don't speak to the headmaster like that!" Hermione scolded, her innate respect of authority figures rising to the fore again.

"Hermione, would your parents stand for it if someone could come into their home any time they wanted, do whatever they want _whenever _they want, without so much as a by-your-leave?" He asked her in a soft voice.

"...no." She reluctantly agreed. "But the headmaster-"

"Has proven in the past that he is unwilling to take my care and wellbeing into consideration when he makes decisions about my life." Harry completed. "And I am magically obligated to provide for the safety and wellbeing of Draco Black now, as well."

"Draco _Black_?"

"Yeah, he accepted Sirius' will. A name change was part of that."

"Oh."

Harry face Dumbledore. "Well?"

Dumbledore could see that he was on the cusp of losing not only Harry's remaining trust and respect, but Harry himself. He really did not want to do this, and any pressure he could possibly bring to bear on the situation from his public positions within the wizarding government would only make the situation worse. Not to mention how Miss Granger might react. He did not want to set her on a crusade against him as well. And if two thirds of 'The Golden Trio of Hogwarts' publicly turned on him, the third would follow.

Whether they knew it or not, the three of them held immense sway over the students, especially after the events of the last two years. He was already hearing praise for the DA from various parents, and the results of the Defence Against the Dark Arts portion of their OWLs and NEWTs hadn't even been released yet!

He also considered the fact that Harry might be being influenced by the contract he had entered, to become the Regent. Sirius had completely blindsided the headmaster with that, he admitted to himself bitterly. The position of Regent had faded from common usage centuries ago, and Dumbledore had only the barest idea of what the position entailed. While he had at least a smattering of knowledge about a great many subjects within the wizarding world, it would seem that contrary to popular thinking, he in fact does _not _know everything about everything.

_'If I do this, I will lose that much more control over him. He may even disappear from the wizarding world entirely.' _Dumbledore's internal monologue continued as he realised that Harry's contrary treatment by the wizarding public was coming back to bite the headmaster on the arse. _'I have so much to show him, this year. It is past time for him to start learning about the true history of Tom Marvolo Riddle. I need him at Hogwarts!'_

Dumbledore tried one last time. "Is there anything I can say to sway you from this course of action, Harry?"

"No."

The old man's shoulders slumped.

"However, I will not be using this as an excuse to withdraw from the wizarding world, if that's what your worried about."

He perked up slightly.

"I simply wish, for the first time in my life, to have a home that is secure. Somewhere I have a say in who comes and goes. A place that I can truly call my own. I'll be returning to Hogwarts this year, I promise." Harry finished.

Dumbledore realised that he was being manipulated slightly by Harry. As the head of the Wizengamot, he was familiar with the process of giving in a bit to get what he wanted in return. It's how most politics works. He also knew that Harry didn't have to give any such assurances if he didn't want to. What was troubling him most right now was, where did he learn how to do that?

After a long moment Dumbledore finally acquiesced. "Very well, Harry. I will allow this."

"Great." Harry raised an eyebrow at the way Dumbledore had phrased his answer, but let it go. He had what he wanted. "Mrs. Malfoy? Draco? What do you two see happening now? Specifically in regards to Draco's living arrangements."

Draco and Narcissa, who were finished with their private conversation and had been shamelessly trying their best to eavesdrop on Harry, Hermione and the headmaster, walked over. "Regent Potter, I would ask that you house my son with you for the foreseeable future. I fear..." Narcissa struggled with her next words. "I fear that he will not be safe in the Malfoy family mansion once his decision is made known to...certain of my husbands associates." Those aligned with the light could see that it was almost killing her to ask such a boon from Harry. Draco looked just as unhappy while he fingered his new Lordship ring nervously.

"Um, why?" Harry asked, confused. "Draco's just inherited a great amount of wealth from the Blacks, from what I understand, as well as an eventual Lordship and a seat on the Wizengamot. Where's the downside for the Death Eaters?"

Narcissa opened her mouth to respond, when she was interrupted.

"If I may, I would like to clear up a misconception by yourself, Regent Potter." DragonsBane said as he re-entered the room.

"I'm getting sick of that title already." Harry muttered under his breath before raising his voice. "And that would be...?"

The goblin hesitated. "Regent, I have the ledgers from the Black vaults as well as your own current list of assets. Do you mind if these others know of the contents?" He looked at everyone in the room apart from Harry and Draco.

Harry blinked. "Albus? Hermione? Do you both mind giving the three of us some privacy for a moment? On the other side of the room would be fine."

"Harry, what-"

"My boy, I-"

"Please! This really is private information, and Mrs. Malfoy does have a legitimate right to see it, I feel."

They both looked at him for a moment. "Fine."

After the other two had grumpily walked to the other side of the room, Harry motioned DragonsBane to hand over the ledgers.

"Thank you, Regent." Narcissa said quietly. "You could have easily sent me away as well."

"True." Harry replied honestly as he skimmed over his personal ledger. "But Draco's been looking more than a little lost today, and I figure he'd need a parent at his side to help him out with this."

Narcissa looked at Harry askance, to which he shrugged.

"I haven't had a parental figure in my life that I could trust since Halloween, 1981. I'm used to having to look after myself. He's not. And I wouldn't begrudge even _him _something I'd give everything to have for myself."

The perpetual frown on the Malfoy Matriarch's face softened almost imperceptibly.

"WHERE'S ALL MY MONEY?"

Everyone in the room spun around to stare at a furious Draco.

He pointed a quivering finger at the ledger. "The Black vaults are almost empty! Where's all the gold gone?" The newly-minted Lord shouted at DragonsBane.

"Mister Black, before he died, visited the Black Family Vault several times over the past year. If I remember correctly, he always entered the bank grinning evilly, and exited whistling a- how does the phrase go? A jaunty tune." The goblin shrugged.

"That blood traitor stole all my money...OUCH!" Draco yelped, rubbing the back of his head. "What was that for, Potter?"

"Because every _competent _wizard knows that the goblins frown on wizards drawing their wands within Gringotts, and clipping you over the ear was the next best thing to a stinging hex." Harry replied. "I'll not have you disrespecting my Godfather's name. Now, what are you whinging about?"

"The vaults are empty!" Draco said, thrusting the ledger towards Harry, who glanced at the totals column.

"Draco, there's almost a hundred thousand Galleons in there."

"There should be several million." Narcissa whispered, horrified. "Aunt Walburga used to boast about how much gold was in the Black family vaults."

"Hunh. I wonder what Sirius did with it?"

"More importantly, how did that..." Draco eyed the back of Harry's twitching hand warily. "How did he steal it?"

"Technically, it was _his _at the time, to do with as he wished." DragonsBane growled. "And it would be unwise for you to impugn upon Gringotts banking reputation without explicit proof."

Now Narcissa swatted her son in the back of the head. "Draco, dear, please do not annoy the nice goblins who oh so graciously guard all our gold and valuables." She said sweetly, with an undercurrent of steel in her voice.

"But...but...but..." He sputtered.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh, suck it up, Draco! That's still a hundred thousand galleons more than you had at the start of the day, and you still have a few assets available to you."

"But..." Draco was going a nice puce colour at the unfairness of it all.

"Regent Potter, are you ready to head to Grimmauld place?" DragonsBane asked impatiently.

"Before we go, did you get those other requests I asked for done?" Harry replied.

The goblin presented several vault keys. "This one is your new trust vault key. All others have been invalidated, as per your orders. That one is the Black main vault key, and that one is the Black heirloom vault key. And this one is Lord Blacks heirloom vault key." He handed the last one over to Draco.

"And the other?"

"Gringotts will send a wardsmaster around to Miss Granger's parents tomorrow and discuss what wards they would like erected around their property." DragonsBane answered.

Hermione looked at Harry in shock. He shrugged. "Your mother asked me about organising something before we left your place. The gold in my trust vault alone will cover this easily. And considering how much you've been there for me over the years, its no biggie to pay for it myself. Your my best friend, and I want you safe."

"But Harry...you shouldn't...it's far too expensive..."

Harry held up a hand. "It's done, Hermione." Before she could continue arguing, he turned to the others. "DragonsBane, I'm ready to go. Anyone wishing to tag along, touch the Portkey." He pointed at the rather plain dagger and scabbard the goblin was holding out.

Five humans and one goblin portkeyed out of Gringotts shortly thereafter.


	8. It may not look like much, but it's got

Harry Potter: The Power He Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: yeah, still don't own any part of 'Harry Potter'. Bummer!

Notes: Finally out of Gringotts, Harry begins to claim his property...

* * *

CHAPTER 7: (It might not look like much, but it's got it where it counts.)

With a loud whooshing sound, the Portkey deposited the odd group within a familiar square of dying grass in one of the seedier neighbourhoods of London. Harry managed to catch and steady Hermione before she went head over heels as they were thrown out of the magical vortex.

"Thanks, Harry." She said gratefully as she tried to tame her hair. Harry smiled and shrugged, before looking across the street and grimacing.

"Where are we?" Draco asked petulantly, still trying to smooth out his own silvery locks.

"London. The Muggle side of it." Narcissa replied, dredging up the necessary memory from her youth.

"The Blacks have a house _here_?" The new lord Black asked incredulously. "This area makes Knockturn Alley look positively _sparkling_ by comparison."

"Yep, it's a slum area. No-one would expect a family like the Blacks to hide here, would they?" Harry replied.

Draco and Narcissa both blinked, then shrugged their shoulders in understanding.

"You mean that this place was always just some sort of bolt-hole for the Black family, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Of course. You don't think such a rich and arrogant lot like _that _would consider this place to be their primary residence, do you?"

Hermione nodded slightly. "Now that you point it out..."

"So where's the place?" Draco asked, growing even more impatient.

"Once I gain control of the house, and Albus does his thing, I'll show you." Harry nodded to DragonsBane, who started towards the front door of number 12. "Albus, would you mind standing guard out here over Mrs. Malfoy, Hermione and Draco until I come and get you?"

Dumbledore nodded and proceeded to set up some muggle-repelling, notice-me-not and basic security charms around the square of grass.

* * *

After Harry had entered the house, and Narcissa and Draco started their own conversation, Hermione sidled up to Dumbledore. "Professor?"

"Yes, miss Granger? What's bothering you?"

"Several things, actually." She said reluctantly. "Harry's... different."

"Indeed. What have you noticed?"

"Well...he's calling you by your given name. Why is that?"

"I overheard dear Poppy asking him that very same thing, just this morning." Dumbledore sighed. "Apparently, Harry does not consider me a professor, since I do not teach a class at Hogwarts. He refuses to call me headmaster, because he believes that I continuously fail to ensure the safety of my students, specifically him. And he won't call me Dumbledore because he can not stop himself from emphasizing the first syllable." He frowned at that, as if remembering some childhood taunting. "Albus is the only polite name he can bring himself to call me."

"Thats...thats..." Hermione was beyond shocked. While she did not have any specific details about Harry's summer so far, it can't have bad enough to lose all respect for the headmaster. Could it?

"Yes, it is. At first glance." He shook his head. "But, the more I think about his experiences during the first two weeks after school, and the more I re-assess my past decisions concerning Harry's life because of that, the more I believe that I may actually deserve more than a little of his current vitriol."

Hermione looked ready to keel over. An adult, one she trusts implicitly, admitting that he has made grave mistakes concerning her best friend's life! What's next? Ron fasting for lent!

"Have you noticed any other unusual behaviour?" Dumbledore prompted gently. If Harry's personality was changing radically so soon after coming in to prolonged contact with Voldemort's mind...

"Well..." Hermione blushed. "He...he seems a bit more...affectionate...than usual."

"Really?" The headmaster's eyebrows shot up. That was _not _what he was expecting to hear.

"Usually when I hug him, you know, after not seeing him for a long time..." She looked up shyly at Dumbledore, and was encouraged to keep speaking, "He tenses. Every muscle in his body locks up." She paused as a connection was made in her mind. "But today, when I hugged him earlier at my place, he didn't even flinch. He hugged me back without hesitation. It was out of character, but... nice." Hermione's blush deepened as she realised what she had just admitted.

"I see..." Dumbledore was oddly reassured. While Tom Riddle was a past master at manipulating people for his own ends, this seemed to be something a bit more benign. Possibly Harry finally noticing that his best female friend was indeed female?

"And he seems more willing to stand up for himself. That situation with Mrs. Weasley about his vault key being a prime example. Also, he seems to be acting a lot more maturely with respect to Draco Malf...Black." She corrected herself. _That_ was going to take some getting used to. "He just..."

"Appears to have aged mentally very quickly?" Dumbledore supplied.

"YES. No. Um, not quite. It's more like how he acts when he is doing his 'saving people' thing." Hermione struggled to articulate her thoughts. Something quite rare for her. "He's... _oohhh!_" She finished with a frustrated groan.

"I wonder if perhaps after his near-death a few weeks ago, combined with the events at the Ministry of Magic, has simply impressed upon him the need to 'lift his game', as it were?" Dumbledore mused aloud. _'It would explain a great deal. But there are still so many other changes these past two days, since he woke up.' _

"After all the other times he has nearly died, why now?" Hermione asked, then put her hands over her mouth in shock. "Oh God, that was a horrible thing to say!"

Dumbledore politely ignored her wording, and concentrated on the meat of the question instead. "I do not know."

"Well, he's promised to explain things to me soon, and I'm going to hold him to that." She said firmly.

"Would you, perhaps, be willing to share what you learn." He asked diffidently. It had been a long time since Dumbledore has been at the mercy of others like this, having to politely entreat for information, and he was not sure that he liked it.

"Um..." Hermione was conflicted. Her first reaction was to say 'yes, of course'. But then the thought that her best friend might not like her spilling her guts to the headmaster without regards to his wishes on the matter surfaced in her mind. _'From what I can tell, a lot of people Harry previously trusted have let him down badly, recently. I do __**not**__ want to be on that list. I care for him too much to do that to him.' _She searched her mind for a compromise that would satisfy both her urge to respect authority and her friendship with Harry. "I can't really promise you anything, Professor. But I will ask Harry if he would mind me saying anything to you when I talk to him."

"...very well." Dumbledore replied, hiding how truly disgruntled he was feeling today. He was Albus Bloody Dumbledore, damnit! He shouldn't have to go begging for information like a firstie fresh off the Hogwarts Express.

Before anything more could be said, Harry reappeared and gestured for Albus to enter Grimmauld Place. As the old man walked inside, Harry ordered Draco and his mother to guard Hermione carefully. His tone of voice suggested that very bad things would happen to both of them if the young Gryffindor was to come to harm, in _any _way.

After nodding an affirmative to Harry's demand, Narcissa enquired whether Hermione wished to come over and join them. When she politely declined without taking her eyes of the front door of the house, the elder Malfoy resumed her conversation with her son.

"Why must we lower ourselves to putting up with their kind, Mother?" Draco whined petulantly.

"Because Regent Potter has power over us, both politically and financially." Narcissa sighed. It was times like this that she dearly regretted letting her idiot husband take the lead in educating their son. Blacks survived on their wit and cunning, Malfoy's on their looks and heritage. Right now, Draco badly needed to start exercising the traits inherited from _her _side of the family. Otherwise, he was likely to be very dead, very soon, despite Potter's offered protection. "By accident or design, cousin Sirius has all but crippled the House of Black. And before him, it had been languishing badly anyway. Your father getting himself put in Azkaban has seen the Malfoy name sullied almost beyond the point of repair. _You _are the future of both families. And _Harry Potter _is the means by which you will ride this difficult time out and rise again when the dust finally settles." Her eyes bored into Draco's, trying to impart the importance of her words. "When you take your rightful seat on the Wizengamot as Lord Black, _then _you can start to put things right. Until that time, however, you will keep your head down, learn what you can, and survive."

Draco looked like he had lumps of Hippogriff dung firmly wedged up each nostril. And one under his tongue, just for good measure. "But why do I have to stay with him? _Here!_" He waved vaguely in the direction he assumed the front door was.

"Because I said so."

"But-"

"_**What**_ do you think the Dark Lord will do to you, once it is known that you can provide neither power nor finance towards his cause?" She demanded sharply, finally losing patience with her son. "Bella had already confided in me that you were to be marked, before the Dark Lord was mysteriously struck down. And your first mission would have been your _last_, just to punish our family for your father's complete failure at the Department of Mysteries." She allowed a small fraction of the fear she has been feeling for quite some time to show on her face. "To have all that hanging over your head, and then allow yourself to fall into his hands with _this _added 'failure' as well?" She choked back a quiet sob. "The Malfoy line is most likely going to die with your father, Draco. Do not let the house of Black expire as well." She almost pleaded that last.

Draco had been chuffed when his mother mentioned that he was to have gained the Dark Mark before he went back to Hogwarts. As she continued speaking, however, what she was trying to explain to him finally began to sink in. He had known he was screwed before, back at Gringotts. He just didn't know how badly.

Now he did.

It took all of his self control not to start vomiting uncontrollably at the sick sensation careening around his stomach.

The sensation only intensified as he forced himself to speak. "...Very well, Mother. I will do this."

* * *

That night, Harry stumbled into the master bedroom of Grimmauld Place, utterly exhausted. The entire day had been one long uphill battle from start to finish. And the last two hours had capped it off perfectly.

Dumbledore had not been happy with his intention to spend the rest of the summer break until school restarted, at Grimmauld. It took the threat of pulling out of Hogwarts, as well as one to remove the interfering old fart's name from the list of people who knew his current location, to get him to back off. Even then, Harry had to promise to contact him by Floo every few days for it to stick. But that was okay. He had plans for the next few weeks, and he was now reasonably assured of privacy for extended periods of time.

His offer of protection and sanctuary to Narcissa seemed to surprise everybody, even DragonsBane. She refused, but secretly took a reusable Portkey that would allow her access to a purpose-built receiving room within the house. While Harry hated her husband and barely tolerated her son, he really didn't have anything against her. Yet.

Draco sniffed his way through a brief tour of the house, picking apart everything from the decor to the general state of decay that permeated the place. His face when he was told that the Black matriarch was the one who decorated it was priceless. As was his reaction to his first meeting with the portrait of Walburga Black hanging in the hallway.

Harry finally told him to pick a room, or _he _would. The little ponce was making him self at home right now, with the help of Harry's house elves.

He had called for and hired both Dobby and Winky as soon as he had gotten Dumbledore to release them from their service at Hogwarts. There was _no way _he was going to live in that house with just Kreacher there. He'd wake up one morning to find the little bastard smothering him with a pillow on orders from that cow in the portrait. That elf did not have a good track record with following orders from living masters. He needed elves he could trust keeping the deranged so-and-so in line. Plus, he needed some information from the little prick. It was the only reason Kreacher was still alive, for now.

_That _went over a treat with Hermione. She had thrown a major hissy fit, and berated him non-stop for several minutes until Dobby mentioned that he was halfway bonded to 'Master Harry Potter Sir' already. She'd been ready to start flinging curses at Harry until he had managed to convince her that he honestly knew nothing about it. He then shoved a couple of books into her hands from the Black library that he knew would be there, and told her to read them before she continued her rant. He'd found them himself a year ago, while looking up stuff that had always confused him about the wizarding world.

Eventually, he saw Hermione home to her parents via Dumbledore express, with a promise to have her over for a visit in a week. Narcissa left with an invitation to return in a few days to check up on her son. He told DragonsBane to expect a visit from him the day after next, to further go over his new wealth and status. And he'd nearly turned the house's internal defensive wards loose upon Albus before the old man finally got the hint.

Now, with Draco being fed and looked after by the elves, Harry closed and sealed up the room. Ignoring everything, including a thick letter sitting on the side table, he threw himself on the bed without changing into his pyjamas. And finally, he let his defences down, and wept bitterly into the pillow, trying to exorcise the soul-rending pain that was threatening to consume him whole.


	9. Letters of the Dead

Harry Potter: The Power He Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: The fictional universe containing Harry Potter and his friends/enemies/fangirls does not belong to me. Nor do I make any financial gain from it. I'm just writing down what the creative part of my brain vomits up at me.

Notes: This one's about Sirius Black's final words to Harry, a brief explanation of the week since the will reading, and the begining of the meeting he promised Hermione in the last couple of chapters.

* * *

CHAPTER 8: (Letters of the Dead)

_Hey pup!_

_If your reading this, then that bad feeling I've been having for a couple of weeks has come to pass. (Sadly, I didn't just __**look**__ like a Grim as an Animagus. How do you think I knew about your parents almost straight away, __**that **__night.)_

_By now, you should have a sparkly Regency ring on your left pinkie. Not only does it mean that you are now legally emancipated in the Wizarding world, but you now have Lucius Malfoy and his spawn squealing like piggies over a barrel. (Check out a muggle movie called 'Deliverance' for the reference. Just don't start noticing that the little ferret has a purty mouth. That'd make even __**me **__shudder!)_

_Hopefully, by this time I've managed to drain the Black Vaults beyond the point of being able to sustain themselves. If I haven't, sorry! It was my intention to utterly bankrupt the Noble and Ancient House of Black by the time my will was read, and consign the whole poisonous lot of them to the history books. (If I've managed to do it by the time you get this, it just means that all the stuff I've written below about looking after Draco will become meaningless. Just ignore the stuff about him. And still believe the stuff about you.) _

_Although, they'd been doing a pretty good job of it themselves before dear old Mum carked it. The common perception is that the Blacks were filthy rich. Which they are. But, at one time they were even filthier rich. However, supporting a Dark Loser in the style to which he had become accustomed was not cheap. The care and feeding of his marked cattle even more so. I imagine that my parents, along with a lot of __**other **__gullible pure-blood elitists, were promised the return or reimbursement of everything they had spent once __**He **__was in charge._

_...Yeah, I get a laugh at the thought of imagining the Dark Tosser sharing the wealth too._

_Anyway, at the time of my writing this, I have been sneaking out of the house every chance I got for months, and visiting the Black Vaults for the sole purpose of taking every Knut I could fit into a magically charmed trunk, and removing them to a safer place._

_"Where are all those Galleons now?" I hear you ask? Why, sitting all around you in this room, under several shrinking and concealment charms. Amongst other things. You just have to figure out how to find them._

_...Hey, I was bored. And Buckbeak isn't the greatest conversationalist._

_#SIGH# There's so much I want to say to you, pup. So many conversations we didn't get to have. And it's as much my fault as anyone's. I could have reminded you about those bloody mirrors when you fire-called me that time. Or got Moony or one of the other Order members to give you a letter from me. So don't beat yourself up about it._

_In lieu of the above, I instead leave you my journals. One from when I was a student at dear old Hoggy-Warty-Warts. The other, something I have been working on since I found myself stuck in this hellhole called home. They are both in the trunk clearly marked 'Black Family Heirlooms and Other Stuff'. It's kinda like a History of the Marauders-slash-Memoirs of a Loveable Grim-slash-Tales of Your Parents and How They Somehow Managed to Get Together and Produce You. It will make for an enjoyable, and sometimes surprising, read. I hope. I was always pants at writing._

_..._

_I hope you don't hate me for dropping all this on you without warning. I felt it important that you have some freedom of movement away from Dumbledore. It's always struck me as odd that someone with a destiny such as the one you apparently have before you, i.e.: kicking Voldie's arse, was not being at the very least trained up the wazoo by every wizard and witch capable of throwing a hex. Instead, you were being left to flounder about and not really learn much unless a clear danger was in front of you. _

_Don't give me that look, it's true. And you should know it by now, too._

_So, I give you some wiggle room away from Dumbledore's bony grip, some Galleons to indulge yourself with while hiring tutors, and a safe place to train if necessary. And by safe I __**do **__mean Grimmauld Place. It may look like crap on the surface, but it's defensive wards are some of the most brutal in the whole wizarding world. Even the Goblins were a little jealous when I had them take a quick peek. The only fly in the ointment is that Dumbledore has control over the Fidelius._

_(It's partly because of this, that I threw the gauntlet down over your parent's will. Maybe it'll rattle the old fart enough that he'll feel guilty enough to return full control to you. While it doesn't really make a difference to how much control you now possess over this house, I have faith that you will find a way.)_

_As for Draco, you'll have to find your own way there. I've given you an inordinate amount of power and control over the ferret. And if he's been as greedy as I expect him to be, once he accepts his part of the inheritance he can not do you harm, either directly or indirectly. Not will not. Not should not. __**Can not!**_

_Read the book DragonsBane should have given you by now. You both have restrictions on you, but nothing too bad. And they are infinitely more flexible from your end. I suggest letting little Lord Draco find out his by trial and error. It's sure to be a laugh! _

_However, you should make it clear that if he's involved with anything that will kill you or bring you to serious harm, by his hand or others, the magic that binds you two together will either kill him, or turn him into a squib. The same goes for you. The Black's didn't dick around when it came to making sure that their Regents __**and **__their Heirs survived being bound together. The whole purpose was to ensure that the Black Family line survived, no matter what. _

_(Which is both funny __**and **__ironic, considering what I was trying to do.)_

_In the mean time, I think you will be able to look after him as well as yourself. It'll be hard. And interesting. And occasionally frustrating. But, I do not know of anyone else your age who is so capable of surviving on their own, without help from others. Those bastard Dursleys would be a big part of it, I'll bet. Your wildly fluctuating popularity in and out of school due to the Ministry and the Prophet plays it's part as well in making you so able to go on, no matter what opinions other's may have of you. I have every confidence that you will be perfectly able to whip the bugger into shape, and handle whatever schemes he tries to pull. _

_Who knows, you might even turn him into a functioning human being by the time he turns twenty-five. And it will definitely keep __**your **__mind sharp. (Think of it as good Marauder training.)_

_And finally, while we have never had much time to be in each other's company, always believe that you were the best thing in my life, towards the end. _

_I have had friends that were almost brothers. There was the odd woman that stole my heart, from time to time._

_But I was never more proud of anything, than the fact that __**you**_ _were my Godson._

_Thank you for believing me when you had no reason to. Thank you for accepting me as much as you did. And thank you for just being there._

_Love, _

_Sirius Orion Black. (Padfoot)_

_p.s.: Turn __**all **__the little ponce's hair hot pink at least once. Bonus Marauder points if he's a ferret at the time!_

* * *

Harry re-read Sirius' letter again. One week had passed since the will reading, and he was about to have some visitors over to Grimmauld Place to explain part of what he had been up to since that day.

When he had woken up the morning after the will reading, he hadn't really done much. Upon finding the letter and unlocking it with a 'Mischief Managed', he had read it several times over, absorbing Sirius' words into himself. Between that, and all the crying he had done the night before, he rather surprisingly felt quite light. As if some of his self-imposed burdens had been lifted from his shoulders. He could imaging Hermione saying that it was a therapeutic purging of guilt, or somesuch. All he knew was that Sirius didn't hate him. He had also somehow actually known that something like this was coming, and had been making plans. _'I guess that it'll be in his journals somewhere.' _He mused.

He'd come down the stairs to find pandemonium in the kitchen. Draco had been trying to order the house elves around, without any noticeable success. Dobby was stating loudly that 'Master Harry Potter Sir' hadn't given them any orders about listening to 'bad younger master' loudly, while holding Kreacher in a half-nelson so as to prevent the old elf doing anything to serve Draco. Kreacher was attempting to break the hold by twisting Dobby's nose off, all the while shouting gleefully about finally having a proper pure-blooded master to work under. Winky, though happy to be in the service of a wizard again, was still sobering up from her year-plus Butterbeer jag. As such, she had her long floppy ears tied under her chin with a tea-towel to block out the noise from the other three while trying to get some basic house cleaning done. She had a ways to go before she would be back in tip-top condition, so not much had been accomplished yet. Stopping and shooting dirty looks at the brawling elves while grumbling about all the noise every few minutes wasn't helping either.

Harry had taken the scene in front of him in silently for all of about ten seconds, before promptly falling to the floor and laughing his head off.

Three house elves and a wizard had frozen at the unexpected noise, and turned as one towards the doorway. Harry took one look at their sheepish expressions and returned to incoherence again.

When he had managed to calm down, he sorted out some ground rules for the house elves in regards to Draco, then asked for some breakfast.

After that, he had dragged his charge into the library and laid down some ground rules for _him_, too.

It was still a work in progress, a week later.

The rest of the day had been spent by them both getting a hold of their respective belongings, and organising them. Harry was done a half hour after he started. Six days later, and Draco was still rearranging his room to suit.

Harry spent the day after at Gringotts. His emancipation papers had arrived that morning. Upon presenting them to DragonsBane, he had received another surprise.

Now that he was legally an adult in the Wizarding world, as per their laws he had gained the Potter Lordship. He also gained access to the Potter Family Vaults. It turns out that the Potter's were also a Noble and Most Ancient House. But without the immense amount of Galleons that the Blacks used to have. Their wealth had been centred more around political influence, property, and partial ownership of various businesses. Which meant that most of it had gone to seed in the fifteen years since a Potter had had direct control over it. Harry would deal with it later.

Harry found it funny that as a young Lord, he couldn't assume the Potter seat on the Wizengamot until his twenty-fifth birthday, the same as Draco, but as Regent he _could _control the Black seat as a proxy. It was, he thought, a typical example of how crazy the wizarding world could be sometimes. He vaguely wondered if he could appoint himself as the proxy caretaker of the Potter seat, seeing that he was able to sit on the Wizengamot as the Regent of the Black seat.

After visiting his new vaults, and taking care of some administration paperwork associated with the inheritance, DragonsBane had laid yet another surprise in his hands. A letter from the Evans family solicitors.

He was still pondering whether to get in contact with them. He'd had enough shocks for a while.

The rest of the week had involved a couple of visits from Narcissa, as well as the occasional fire call to Dumbledore to assure him that Harry was still alive, and had _not _reconsidered his desire to stay at Grimmauld Place. One or two times, Draco tried to re-sort the pecking order between them, without any success. The odd day trip out in to London to do some shopping, as well as a couple of _other _chores, and the week had flown by almost before Harry knew it.

Looking at the clock, Harry checked his appearance one last time in the full length mirror that was attached to the door of his clothing closet, and blushing at the saucy phrases it was complementing him with. '_Trust bloody Sirius to have a flirty mirror!' _He groaned. _'Though I gotta admit, I do look good.' _He finished, pleased with the results of a shopping trip to Harrods a couple of days ago.

He first checked that the two people that were already in the house were comfortable, and staying put until he was ready to introduce them. He then headed for a purpose-built room within the house that was set up to both receive visitors by Apparition, Floo and Portkey, and defend him if they turned out to be unfriendly.

Reaching the _Viaticus _room, (which he had privately started thinking of as his very own come-and-go room) he made sure that the passive defences in the room were active, then faced the lit fireplace at the far end. He didn't have to wait long. The flames grew, and changed to a green colour. It then roared, and spat out the first of his visitors for that day.

* * *

Notes: Below is the best I could come up with what to call a room that has a safe Floo connection, Apparating co-ordinates and Portkey landing area through the wards within Grimmauld Place.

_Viaticus_: (Latin) Pertaining to a journey.

Pretty crap, I know.


	10. The Gathering of the Ministry Six, plus

Harry Potter: The Power He Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: "I own Harry Potter." The author told the mirror his Soulmate keeps leaving beside his computer for whatever reason. "Don't I?"

"No." The reflection answered with a weary shake of the head. This wasn't the first time they'd had this conversation, and he was getting worried. Imaginary voices are supposed to be the delusion, not the voice of reason. Then again, that Parseltongue fic came from the same area of the brain that he inhabits.

"Oh. Okay." The author turns back to the screen, which was winking at him suggestively, and inviting him to push its buttons firmly again. "There you go. I don't own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling and her friends do." He nodded firmly. "So there!"

Notes: There have been a couple of comments about Harry's seemingly split personality. (Wesker's Redfeild's review is the one that immediately springs to mind) It's not so much that Harry has multiple personalities, or some such. More that he's had to deal with a sudden and massive influx of information in a relatively short amount of time. Its something that I'll be addressing somewhat in chapter's 9 to 11.

* * *

CHAPTER 9: (The Gathering of the Ministry Six, plus Two)

"Neville! Welcome to my home. How ya doin'?"

Neville Longbottom brushed some ash from his shoulders as he gracefully stepped out of the fireplace, looked around briefly, before returning Harry's greeting. "Hello Harry. Thank you, and very well. Yourself?"

"Not too bad." He shrugged. "Draco's been a bit of a pain, but otherwise..."

"D-Draco? Draco _Malfoy! _He's here?" Neville stuttered, glancing about wildly and almost drawing his wand. He only just managed to remember his manners. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. My fault for not realising that you might not know that bit of information yet." Harry waved off the other teen's apology. "Did you hear about my godfather's will reading last week. Sirius Black?"

"Uh, yeah. Gran says the other ancient and noble houses have been going crazy over the rumour that he never received a trial before being put into Azkaban. She says it sets a very worrying precedent for the next heir who might end up in a similar situation."

Harry frowned. "It's not a rumour. The Goblins can prove it. Anything else?"

Neville blinked at the certainty in Harry's voice, before continuing, "...Oh yeah. Something about Draco being named the Black Heir. And a Regent being assigned over him as well."

"Uh huh." Harry casually scratched his chest with his left hand. Neville's eye's bugged out when he spotted it.

"Merlin's moustache! _Your _the Black Regent?!" He shouted, pointing at the ring on Harry's left pinkie.

"Yup! Sucks to be Draco, doesn't it?" Harry smirked.

Neville nodded his head absently, working on comprehending this turn of events.

"Yo, Neville." Harry snapped his fingers in front of the other teen's face. "Snap out of it."

"Huh? Oh, sorry. It's just a bit of a surprise."

"Was for me too, let me tell you." He grinned. "But, we're getting used to each other. And he's Draco _Black _now. _Lord _Draco, if you please. _Scion _of the Ancient and Noble House of Black."

Neville groaned. "I'll bet he's shoving _that _in your face every chance he gets."

"Nah. He'd like to, but it wouldn't work." Harry dropped his left hand, and now made a show of scratching his eyebrow with his right hand.

"Oh your kidding me." Neville exclaimed tiredly, seeing the ring on Harry's other hand. "You got the Potter Lordship as well?"

Harry shrugged sheepishly. "Yeah. Turns out, by taking the Regency I got emancipated into the bargain. Combine _that _with being the _only _Potter left, plus a couple of other things, and it all means that I was eligible to get it a couple of years early. Go figure."

Neville gaped at him for a minute, before shaking off the shock. "Actually, if my Gran wasn't holding it off until I'm older, I would be Lord Longbottom by now. She wants to wait and see if I mature enough to be able to handle it before she'll make a decision." He grumbled, feeling oddly left out by Harry's new status. "You know, Ron's gonna go nuts when he sees that. Any other surprises?"

"I imagine he will, for all the good it'll do him. I'm still a bit annoyed with the Weasleys at the moment. And I haven't even got started on the surprises yet." He said enigmatically, before changing the topic. "Say, how do you manage to come out of the Floo without falling arse over tit? I can't do it, and no-one'll tell me what I'm doing wrong."

"Oh, uh, well, all you have to do is-" Right then, the fire roared behind them, drowning out Neville's next words.

Harry spun around, just in time to get an armful of Luna Lovegood as she rocketed out of the fireplace.

"Whoops! Hi Harry. Do you know that your Nargles have changed colour over the summer?" She stated as she stared up into his eyes. "And they've _swarmed_, too."

"Hello Luna. No I didn't, though it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. How have you been?" He asked, still supporting her in his arms.

"Terribly bored." She smiled at him. "Daddy's fun, but I've missed having people to talk to regularly that won't make fun of me, like in the DA. Thank you for inviting me here today. Are you going to be telling secrets?"

"How'd... Never mind. Yes I am, you cheeky little butterfly." He grinned at the amusement dancing in her eyes. "Now, as much as I enjoy having a beautiful young woman like yourself in my arms, there are others still to arrive yet. And knowing my luck, they'll shoot out of that flame like a bludger and plough right into us."

"Pity." Luna's cheeks coloured slightly at being called beautiful by Harry, and she stepped backwards out of his arms with only the slightest of hesitation. "Hello Neville. How are you on this fabulous day." She turned and greeted the other occupant of the room.

Leaving those two to talk, Harry turned back to see that the flames had indeed grown again in preparation for someone. With a fiery belch, Ginny Weasley, followed by her brother Ron, stumbled out.

"Hey mate." Ron shouted when he spotted Harry. The smile as he laid eyes on him, the surprise as he noted the casual yet obviously expensive outfit with the new designer glasses Harry now wore on his face instead of his cheap old damaged ones, and the spark of jealousy when he added up in his head what the outfit's total cost would be, all flitted across Ron's face at a blatantly obvious slow canter.

"Hi Harry." Ginny's reaction to Harry was much the same as her brother's, only she licked her lips with barely suppressed desire instead of jealousy.

Harry rolled his eyes at their behaviour as he opened his mouth to speak, when suddenly, a deep clanging sound emanated from the fireplace. Raising an eyebrow, he checked the wards to see what was happening. "Did you two tell the rest of your family not to try and follow you here? That the invitation was for you only?"

Ron and Ginny looked at each other. "We did, but Mum and Dumbledore-"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Albus showed up too, huh."

The Weasleys looked at their shoes, embarrassed. "Did one of them try to follow us?" Ginny asked weakly.

"Yup." He nodded. "Albus I'd guess, by the strength of the power signature."

"What did you do?" Ron asked, seeing the expression on his dorm mate's face. It was oddly reminiscent of his twin brothers as they watched one of their pranks happen.

"Not much." He grinned. "Just shunted him back to the Burrow. With maybe slightly more power than needed."

"Why is the Headmaster trying to come here, Harry?" Neville asked, confused. "And why would you refuse him entry?"

"Questions that will be answered once Hermione shows up, and we are seated in the Tea Room."

"Hermione's coming?" Ginny blurted out.

"Uh-huh." Harry nodded again, pulling out a pocket watch and checked the time. "Right about..."

**/CRACK/**

"...Now."

Hermione appeared with a pop on the arm of Winky. Shaking away the slight dizziness of travelling by house elf, she spotted Harry straight away and pounced on him.

"_Harry!_" She cried as she engulfed him in a rib-cracking hug.

"Does every girl he knows greet him like that?" Neville asked in awe. "He's two for three so far."

"Dunno." Ron shrugged, still slightly jealous.

"Did you-?" Ginny asked Luna.

"Absolutely. By _complete _accident, fortunately for me." She nodded, smiling dreamily. "Though I think you missed your turn."

"Bugger." The red-headed girl groused, folding her arms across her chest with a huff.

"Oi! Break it up, you two." Ron yelled after a minute had passed.

"Yeah, I want my turn." Ginny said under her breath.

Ron spun around and glared at her. "Don't even think about it, or I'll tell Mum." He threatened.

"Whatever." She snorted. _'Mum'd probably push me at him herself if she was here, the way she carries on sometimes.' _While Ginny still harboured a crush on Harry, she had pretty much moved on after all this time, or so she told herself. Though she wouldn't turn him down if he showed her the slightest bit of interest. At all.

"Oh, hi Ron." Hermione disentangled herself from Harry and gave the red-headed boy a brief hug, before turning and greeting the others while thanking Winky for coming to get her.

Neville waved a greeting, before doing a quick double-take at who was actually in the room. "Hey Harry. Why are only the people who went with you to the Department of Mysteries here?"

"Well spotted, Neville." Harry noted with a smile. "I promised Hermione an explanation about a couple of things, seeing as she's a bit in the dark about my summer so far. I then decided 'What the heck!', and invited the rest of you too. As you'll find out, it's all interconnected with what happened before school ended. Come on." He gestured for the others to follow him out the door.

"Where?" Ron asked. While he'd spent a fair amount of time at Grimmauld Place last year, he didn't actually recognise where in the house he was right now.

"To the Tea Room." Harry said. "As I told Neville, Draco's here right now, and I don't want to leave him alone for any extended amount of time. Who knows what he might try to pull."

"Draco!"

"Malfoy!?

"_Here?_" Ron and Ginny shouted in time with each other.

"Wow. You guys sounded just like the twins there." Harry joked. "And his name is Draco Black now, since he accepted Sirius' will."

"But-" Ron sputtered.

"'Sup, Ron. Think the little ferret's gonna get the best of me, somehow." He snorted derisively. "_Please!_ We've had a couple of...disagreements... already, and he's about as good a dueller as he is a Seeker."

Hermione winced. "That bad, huh?"

"Yup."

"But... He's _Draco_." Ron reiterated, as if that explained everything. "And why's he here, anyway? Doesn't he have a manor to live in with his mother, or something?"

"I imagine that he's here because Mrs. Malfoy asked Harry to take him in. She doesn't think Draco would be safe at the Malfoy Manor right now." Hermione looked to Harry for confirmation. When he nodded, she continued. "As to why he's _still _here, you'll have to ask him." She pointed at the Boy-Who-Lived.

"It'll come up in conversation before long, I'm sure." Harry evaded. "Neville! Did you get a new wand yet?"

Neville jumped, surprised at being brought into the conversation. "Uh, yeah. Gran and I visited Olivanders a couple of days after school let out. She was actually proud of me for standing by my friends, and going with you." He blushed slightly at the memory of her praise of his actions. It was the first time he could ever remember his Gran saying anything like that about him.

"And so she should be." Harry stated firmly, getting agreeing nods from the others.

Neville ducked his head, embarrassed. "Yeah, well, I ended up getting a Cherry wood one, with a Unicorn hair core." He pulled it out and showed it off briefly. "It was funny actually, when we walked in." He chuckled. "The first thing Olivander said was that I was several years late picking up my wand." Everyone snickered. "When Gran explained that I had been using Dad's wand perfectly well for ages, Olivander then said that 'The _wand_ chooses the Wizard, Madame Longbottom, _not _the wizards _Grandmother!_'" Neville was wearing a shy grin as he related the tale. "You should have seen the look on Gran's face."

The others chuckled, imagining stern Augusta Longbottom getting chastised by the ancient wandmaker.

"And that was pretty much the high point of my summer so far. What about you guys?"

They all shrugged, each wondering where to start, when they heard a high-pitched yell come from down the hallway in front of them.

"BUT HE LEFT ME THERE FOR HOURS!"

Harry pinched his nose. "Not again. Is he _still _going on about that?"

"Who?"

"Draco. He must be whinging to mummy about what happened a few days ago." He sighed and increased his pace. "Come on."

Entering the Tea Room, the others saw that Mrs. Malfoy was indeed sitting on the opposite side of the room on one of the couches, watching her son pace back and forth in front of her and gesticulating frantically as he related to her something that Harry had done to him.

"Will you give it a rest, Draco! You completely deserved what happened to you." Harry said forcefully, before he turned back to his other guests.

"Make yourself at home, guys." He gestured to the other couches spread around the room "Dobby and Winky will appear with snacks in a while, so take a load off while I sort this out." He faced Narcissa again. "Now, I'm guessing that Draco has been complaining about me not catering to his every whim for the last week, Mrs. Malfoy."

She nodded, knowing from experience that her son was most likely exaggerating what happened.

"And from the manly shriek we just heard down the hall, he told you about our little dust up the other day." Another nod. "Well, perhaps I should explain my side, and you can decide for yourself where the truth lies."

"Go on." She gestured, ignoring her son's now frantic demands to just forget the whole thing.

Harry cleared his throat, and got a smirk on his face that had his friends leaning in. _'This aught to be good!' _They thought as one.

"Three days ago, Draco was once more acting like a trainee Death Eater-"

"I WASN'T!" The Slytherin interrupted hotly. "I was merely-"

"Shush, it's my turn to talk now." He quirked an eyebrow, and the other human resident of Grimmauld Place reluctantly shut up. Draco was quickly learning that when he ignored the expression Harry was making right then, bad things happened to _him _soon after.

"Where was I? Oh yeah, I found him trying to get _my _house elves to hurt themselves for his own entertainment. After hitting him with a stinging hex on the backside, I told him that any punishments in this house were my responsibility to mete out, if warranted. And that included for _him _as well. So, being the epitome of maturity that he is, Draco drew his wand and started throwing curses at me while screaming about what will happen to me when his father learns of this. Pretty much the usual spiel he does at school."

The other students grimaced. Draco's tendencies towards those who were less fortunate than himself was well known at Hogwarts, and it had only been his father's money and influence, along with the protection of Snape, that allowed the ferret to indulge himself. They were glad that Harry seemed to be taking steps to correct this deficiency in his personality.

"So, I let him get it out of his system for a while. His aim's crap, and his spell's are pretty weak too." Harry paused as something occurred to him. "Come to think of it, that's probably why none of the penalty clauses in the magical contract between us as Regent and Heir never activated. I never felt I was in danger. He barely managed to scorch the walls most of the time, even with the darker spells."

Draco was slowly turning red with indignation by now.

"Eventually, I decided to wind things up, 'cause I had an appointment at Gringotts I had to get to. And he was about to fall over from exhaustion anyway. So, I decided to give him a chance to rest."

"YOU PUT ME IN A FULL-BODY BIND AND LEFT ME THERE WHILE YOU TOOK OFF FOR THE REST OF THE BLOODY AFTERNOON!" Draco shouted indignantly.

"Was that all you were angry at me about?" Harry replied, sounding honestly confused. "I thought it was the fact that I hit you with an overpowered tickling charm as I walked out of the door."

A shocked silence greeted that statement.

"Oh Harry! Tell me you didn't?" Hermione spoke first, her face going weird colours as her imagination galloped away from her.

"Where?" Ginny put in.

Harry grinned and looked down briefly.

"Oh you didn't?!" Ron chuckled. "That's a bit below the belt, isn't it?"

"Sure was."

His friends finally burst out laughing. Draco continued to go deeper shades of red, while Narcissa was outwardly grim. Deep inside, though, she was pleased that Potter seemed to be committed to disciplining her son when he showed his father's influence on his upbringing. They were pure-bloods, and therefore naturally superior to other beings. However, Lucius' personal...fetishes... when it came to dealing with the lower beings left a lot to be desired. Decorum needed to be maintained.

As such, she felt she had to make at least a token effort to decry her son's treatment. "Regent Potter, was that really necessary?"

Harry turned to her. "Yes, it was Mrs. Malfoy. Draco appears to be trying to follow in his father's footsteps, which seems to include developing a liking for torture." His eyes grew frosty. "While in my care, he will _not _indulge in such past-times. And if I have to give him a taste of what he so badly wishes to mete out to others to break him of the habit, I will."

Harry took a deep breath. "I didn't want this. My life is complicated enough right now without having to deal with _him_." He pointed a finger at his charge. "But I took what my godfather offered me and became Regent. I chose to become his guardian. Because your son will come to a horrible and bloody end if he continues on the way he is." Harry chuckled mirthlessly. "Hermione calls it my 'people-saving thing'. It's not necessarily a bad character trait to have, despite how much trouble it occasionally gets me in to. And considering Sirius' original goal was to consign the Black Family to the history books, I think a little more gratitude on both your parts would not go astray."

"What?" Narcissa asked weakly, while Draco's face lost all it's previous colour as he sat down heavily beside his mother.

"Your vaults are a _small _fraction of what they used to be, Draco Black. His original intention was to drain them completely. The Heirloom vaults are in the same condition. The Black business and property portfolio is pretty much gone. While a portion of that was done by Sirius' mother before she died, in her support of Voldemort, the rest was withdrawn by Sirius. He _hated _his family, and everything they stood for. If he'd had his way, the House of Black wouldn't have even _existed _by the time his will was read."

The whole room was silent. This was news to them all. And only Ron and Hermione had ever heard Harry talk with such passion in his voice before.

"...Thank Merlin he died early then." Draco whispered unthinkingly.

The temperature in the room actually plummeted as Harry rounded on him, eyes blazing.

"_oh crap!_" Someone whispered.

In the blink of an eye, Harry was across the room.

"Harry, NO!" Hermione screamed as she saw Harry's wand appear in his hand, a curse already lighting it's tip. Before he could loose a spell at Draco, she had leapt to her feet and grabbed his arm, trying to force it upwards, and out from under Draco's chin. Luna had also jumped to her feet and pounced on Harry, wrapping her arms tightly around his torso. "Please, Harry. He's not worth it."

Harry paused.

"Please, Harry." He glanced down at Luna, who was looking up at him with her wide, silvery eyes. "Don't be a bully. Not even to him. There are far too many in the world as it is." She said in a quavering voice.

Harry looked from her, to Hermione, and finally towards a badly frightened Draco, who was pinned to his seat by Harry's wand.

"You _**ever **_say anything like that about my godfather again, Draco, and I will _**end **_you. Regency contract be damned."

Draco felt the tip of a Holly and Phoenix feather wand heating the main artery on the left side of his neck, looked up into those killing-curse eyes, and gulped. Harry was completely serious.

Nodding frantically, Draco watched as his guardian visibly beat his rage down into something manageable.

"Say. It."

"I...I will...I will not say anything derogatory about you godfather, Sirius, ever again." He stammered, fighting to keep control of his bowels.

Giving Draco one last glare, Harry snorted and pulled his wand from under the other teen's chin. "See that you don't." With that, he stepped back and disengaging himself from both Hermione and Luna. Turning slightly, he spoke to Narcissa through clenched teeth.

"My apologies, Mrs. Malfoy. While your son's comment was both rude, and tactless, I overreacted. The death of my Godfather is still something of an open wound to me right now. Again, I apologise for threatening your son in your presence." Sketching a bow to Narcissa, who accepted his apology with a gulp and a slight nod of her own, he looked around and noticed the expressions his other friends were wearing. "What?" He snarled.

"We're...we're just a bit shocked at you exploding like that, Harry." Hermione said weakly as she retook her seat, not wanting him to direct his ire at her. "I mean, you were more than a little scary when you were angry at us last year for not contacting you all summer. But this... violence… is way out of character for you." She waved at Draco. "What's happened to you?"

"Since that night in the Department of Mysteries, a lot." He replied, taking a couple of deep breaths to regain better control of his emotions. "And I've been through some changes as a result. Unfortunately, because of that, my control over my temper is frayed. Combine that with _his_," Harry gestures at a recovering Draco, "constant whining and attempts to be the top dog in this house, _my _house, and well, I've just about reached my last nerve."

"oh."

"Look," He ran his hands through his hair. "I invited you all here to explain some of the changes I've gone through lately, amongst other things. I'll have Dobby bring in some sandwiches, and I'll start talking. It won't explain everything, but it should give you an idea about why my temper is shorter than normal.. Okay?"

* * *

More Notes: Yes, Harry is being quite violent towards Draco. Yes, after experiencing the Dursleys for over a decade, it would be something I imagine he would be reluctant to inflict on another. However, if anyone said something like that about one of _my _nearest and dearest, especially one who was recently deceased, a bloody nose would be the least of my response towards them.

**-CHAPTER END-**


	11. Serious Matters at a Grim Old Place

Harry Potter: The Power He Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, the fictional universe he lives in, the books, the movies, audio books (the one's narrated by Stephen Fry are particularly hard to come by.) collector cards, bubble-gum, vibrating toy broomsticks, etc. etc. and so on.

J.K. Rowling does, as do her affiliates.

Not me.

Notes: The vibrating broomstick was actually a legitimate toy when the movies first started coming out. Just one of those 'It seemed like a good idea when we talked about it in the office' things. Like the 'tickle-me-Elmo' dolls that shook and vibrated when it laughed. Both ended up being used in ways that they were not originally designed for, by people who were somewhat _outside _of the intended age bracket. ;-)

* * *

CHAPTER 10: (Serious Matters at a Grim Old Place)

Dobby had been and gone with several platters of food and drink.

While they ate, Harry finally got around to formally introducing Mrs. Malfoy to the other visitors. Draco had remained by his mother's side, where she was whispering fervently in his ear, quite possibly reminding him of the conversation they had out the front of Grimmauld Place, about keeping his head down and surviving the current crisis their society was facing.

Harry was munching on a crunchy peanut butter sandwich while he browsed the small book shelves in the room.

The others were nervously eating from the platter, casting the occasional worried glance at their friend. Today was shaping up to be a lot more than what they had expected, and he hadn't even started explaining yet!

"Right, we all fed?" They jumped as Harry spoke from the middle of the room. "Good. Now, before I start, I need an unbreakable vow from each of you that you will not communicate what we talk about in this room to anyone, in any way."

"_What!"_

"Why?"

"Don't you trust us?"

"_Harry!_"

He waited until the had subsided before speaking again. "What I will be telling you is important. Important enough that Voldemort would quite happily rip it from your bleeding mind, then kill you. Important enough that Dumbledore would _obliviate _you once he had it, 'for the greater good'."

"So how's getting an unbreakable vow from us supposed to protect us, huh?" Ron shouted angrily.

Harry looked around the room. "Anyone want to field that one?" He gestured. To his surprise, it wasn't Hermione.

"I believe that I will." Narcissa looked at him shrewdly. "If worded properly, an Unbreakable Vow will not only prevent a witch or wizard from discussing the subject of the vow, but will actively shield the knowledge of the contents within the mind." She smiled imperiously at the confused looks she was getting. Sadly, her son was one of them. "Think of it as a _Fidelius _charm for information, instead of property." Understanding bloomed on all of their faces. "If Legillimency is used, the magic of the vow will Occlude the knowledge. There have even been documented cases of the mind turning upon itself, and erasing what was being sought." She nodded at Harry, reappraising her opinion of him upwards again. "I am impressed, Regent Potter. Quite Slytherin of you."

"Thank you." He nodded back. "Actually, if it hadn't been for Draco here, I would have been sorted into Slytherin, like the Hat originally wanted to."

Everyone but Hermione blinked in surprise at that little bit of trivia.

"_What?!_"

Harry sighed, and tried to forestall the inevitable explosion by the red-head. "Ron, let it go. It didn't happen. And I'm still the same person you've known the last few years."

Frowning, Ron sat back down. He then noticed something else. "Hermione? Why aren't you surprised? Did you know?"

Seeing her wince, Harry cut in again. "Yes, she did. I told her during fourth year."

"What!" He shouted again. "Why didn't you tell me then?"

"Because while _you _were too busy believing that I was an attention-seeking glory hound, and keeping your distance, _she _was helping me work out how to deal with a bloody Hungarian Horntail, that's why." Harry retorted angrily.

"Oh." Ron mumbled sheepishly.

"Does anyone have any other objections?" No-one spoke. "Very well, if you would come up here one at a time and repeat this while holding my right hand with yours. Mrs. Malfoy, I will ask you to be our Bonder. Hermione will be yours when it's your turn, as the next oldest." He turned and conjured some writing in the air in front of them before kneeling at the centre of the room.

_**-I (your name) do swear an unbreakable oath on my life and my magic to Lord Harry James Potter, that I will not communicate in any way what I learn in this room at 12 Grimmauld Place, unless given express permission by Lord Harry James Potter. That I will conceal it with my magic and my life from all who would seek the knowledge by force or without permission. So mote it be.-**_

"LORD POTTER?!"

Harry sighed. "Yes Ron, I'm a Lord now. It'll be coming up in the discussion. Can we get on with it, please?"

Ron was really annoyed now. Harry's a Lord, and he's just trying to sweep it under the carpet like it was nothing. "Why do you get to be _a Lord_? Why do you get _everything_?" He shouted petulantly.

"Merlin give me strength." Harry grunted as he got to his feet. "I get to be a Lord because I'M THE ONLY POTTER LEFT, YOU RETARDED MORON! _THAT'S _WHY!" He took a deep breath to calm himself. It didn't work. "You know what? I'm sick of dealing with your jealousy. Get out, Ron." He pointed at the door.

"What?"

"Go. Leave. Depart. Remove yourself from the premises. Piss off." Harry enunciated. "From Day One on the train, it's always been about my supposed fame, or my bloody scar . In fact, that was the second thing you asked me about, right after 'Are you really Harry Potter?'. I'm sick of it."

"H-Harry? Mate? What are you saying?" Ron stuttered, finally realising that he'd majorly put his foot in it, somehow.

"Oh Harry, please don't." Hermione clutched Harry's hand, while Ginny came at him from his other side. Neville and Luna stayed out of it, as did Draco and Narcissa. "I know that Ron doesn't always think before he talks. But please don't kick him out. He's been your friend for six years." She pleaded.

"No Hermione, I've been _his _friend for six years. He's only _my _friend when it suits him." Harry retorted, still glaring at Ron.

Hermione looked at him with tears in her eyes. Their friendship couldn't just end because Ron was incapable of thinking before talking. He and Harry were the only real friends she had at Hogwarts. She did not want to have to choose between them if they fell out with each other. "Please Harry?"

Harry looked at her quivering bottom lip, and how much this was tearing her up. He looked over at Ron, who was putting on his best gormless look in the hopes of appearing harmless. "Fine. He can stay. For now."

Hermione beamed at him.

"But this is his last chance. One more word out of his mouth today that isn't the oath, and that's it. I'm kicking him out. Are we clear?"

Ron looked at him without responding until Ginny went over and kicked him in the shins. "What? Oh, uh, right Harry."

"_Gormless tit_." Harry muttered under his breath as he knelt again. "Front and centre, Ron. Your up first."

Ron approached Harry nervously, not quite game to come near him in case he got what Draco did before. Seeing the hard expression forming on his friends face, he took a shuddering breath and got down on his knees, covering Harry's right hand with his own. Narcissa strode up and placed the tip of her wand on top of their joined hands. The words flowed from his mouth:

"I, Ronald Billius Weasley, do swear an unbreakable oath on my life and my magic to Lord Harry James Potter, that I will not communicate in any way what I learn in this room at Grimmauld Place, unless given express permission by Lord Harry James Potter. That I will conceal it with my magic and my life from all who would seek the knowledge by force or without permission. So mote it be."

"I accept your oath, Ronald Billius Weasley. So mote it be." Harry intoned. A fiery rope erupted from Narcissa's wand, winding itself around both their hands, completing the ritual.

"Thank you, Ron." Harry looked up at the others. "Who's next?"

* * *

In turn, everyone in the room gave their oath, including Draco and Narcissa. As they took their seats again, Harry started pacing in front of the room, much the same as he used to when teaching in the DA. It was oddly comforting to the other former members.

"First of all, thank you for doing that." He nodded his gratitude at them all. "I know that making an unbreakable vow is not to be done lightly, but the security it offers you all and myself will be needed, I can assure you."

"I can understand you wishing to protect us, Harry." Ginny asked as the rest of the Ministry Six nodded. "But why Draco and Mrs. Malfoy? No insult intended, but why are they even here?"

Narcissa nodded her head in agreement, while Draco bit back a sneer.

"Because after we're done here, I am going to ask Mrs. Malfoy for a favour or two, and I want her to understand my reasons. As for Draco?" Harry shrugged. "Maybe after this, he'll rethink his desire to become a Death Eater."

"Uh-huh." Four Gryffindors and a Ravenclaw each raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Hey, you never know."

"Uh-huh."

"Anyhow, make sure your paying attention, because this is going to bounce around a bit." He clapped his hands together, making everyone jump slightly. "After we got off the train at Kings Cross at the end of our fifth year, and that attempt at giving me a stress-free summer at the Dursleys by the Order-"

"Dursleys?" Narcissa asked. "Who are they? I do not recognise that pure-blood family."

"My aunt and uncle. My _non_-magical, magic-_hating _aunt and uncle. I've had to live with them since my parents died, so that the blood wards that protect them and me from Voldemort and his marked followers at their house would stay charged."

"You lived with muggles?" Draco snorted. "I thought that was something you made up, to divert attention away from your real living arrangements. Like those rags you wear all the time."

"No Draco," Harry replied, holding up a hand to stop Ron, Ginny and Hermione hexing the Slytherin. "Those clothes were all that I was given to wear, after my whale of a cousin got through with them. Albus, in his infinite wisdom, fobbed me off to my last living relatives so that the wards he wove around me, wards spun from my mother's sacrifice, would settle there and protect me from people like your father while I grew up. Unfortunately, they only protected me from outside harm." He finished with a wince.

"But, Professor Snape said that was a lie." Draco was confused. Severus Snape wouldn't lie to him. Would he? "He said that-"

Harry interrupted. "Snape hated my father with a fiery passion. With him being conveniently dead, that hate was transferred to me."

"But-"

"Shush." Draco crossed his arms, frowning.

"That night, the first of the nightmares started." Harry's voice faltered, and grew softer. "I dreamed of everyone I know, everyone I ever cared about, being tortured before my eyes. Over and over again they died. You'd all stare at me, accusing me of not doing anything to prevent this. Weeping and screaming at me that it was all my fault." With his eye's closed, Harry couldn't see the horrified looks coming from his friends. Especially Hermione and Ron. They knew first hand the effect Voldemort-induced visions had on Harry.

"Voldemort and I are connected by my scar, you see. Sometimes, I get visions, images, of what he is doing. Emotions that aren't mine. He can even send stuff to me through it. That's how we came to be in the Department of Mysteries that night." He waved at his friends while looking at Narcissa and Draco. "He had been sending me images of my godfather being tortured there, over a prophecy."

"Harry, are you sure you want to be talking about that?" Ginny asked, casting a worried look at the Slytherins.

"Unbreakable Vow, remember." Harry retorted with the ghost of a smile. "They can't say a damn thing to anyone without my permission."

"Oh yeah." She nodded sheepishly.

"How long were you receiving those visions for, Harry?" Luna spoke up for the first time.

"A hair over fourteen full days and nights."

"Bloody hell!" Ron and Neville said at the same time, while the girls nearly burst into tears.

"Yeah, it sucked." Harry agreed. "I tried writing letters, but never got any replies." Ron and Ginny winced. "I was locked in my room, out of the way, so my loving relatives didn't have to endure the sight of me. And the Order members on guard duty just sat there and watched me go insane." He spat bitterly. "Do you understand why I am so pissed off at just about everyone I know right now, Hermione?"

She nodded, wringing her hands.

"So, after a couple of weeks of that, I decided to try something...a little drastic." Ron and Hermione winced in anticipation, knowing how their friend liked to understate things.

"I pointed my wand at my scar and cast the killing curse at it."

"_Bugger me sideways with a coracle! Are you __**insane**__?_" Draco burst out. Everyone looked at him in shock.

"Language, sweetie." His mother chided him faintly, still a little overwhelmed at what she had just heard.

"What's a coracle?" Ron whispered to Hermione.

"A small welsh boat, about one by one point five metres. Typically used to fish from, or get around calm inland waters." Hermione whispered back absently, still struggling to comprehend not only Harry's state of mind to even contemplate doing something like that, but the horrors that must have driven him to that point in the first place.

"Oh." Ron squirmed in his seat at the thought of having something _that _size, inserted _there_. "_Ouch_. And _Ew_."

This quiet byplay had been ignored by Harry. "By that point, I pretty much was, Draco. Nice swearing, by the way. I didn't know you cared." He answered, amused despite his current mood.

Draco seemed to come back to himself. "I don't! It's just a bit of a shock. Don't you ever stay dead?" He snarked.

"No. And sadly, neither does he. At least, not yet."

"Huh?" Came the general consensus.

"Voldemort." Narcissa and Draco shivered at the name, while the others just looked at them, amused by their antics. "Two weeks later, I woke up in the infirmary at Hogwarts." He continued. "Albus told me that apparently Voldie had been watching my suffering down our shared link, and somehow copped the killing curse I had cast. His spy within the Death Eaters said that Voldie glowed a pretty green for a few seconds, before keeling over. His spirit then erupted from the body and departed for parts unknown."

They stared at him for a long time, trying to make some sense out of what he was telling them.

"But, why didn't the Dark Lord die? Why didn't you, for that matter?" Narcissa asked finally.

"For the answer to that, we have to go back to the nineteen-forties. Ginny?" Harry looked at the red-head with sad eyes. "I apologise in advance, but I have to tell this for it all to make any sense."

Ginny blinked in surprise, before paling remarkably, as she started to guess where the conversation was going to lead. Only one incident to do with her would illicit an apology from Harry.

"A sixth year named Tom Riddle was attempting some interesting spells he had learnt from the family spell books of various dark-aligned pure-blood friends he had cultivated within Slytherin. Spells designed to increase his power exponentially, or grant him longer life, so that he might gather even more power to himself." Ron and Hermione shuddered as the girl put an arm around Ginny's shoulders to comfort her. They had an idea of where this was going now, too. "Horace Slughorn, the Potions Master of Hogwarts at that time, had confirmed the existence of this particular ritual recently, and he was _dying _to try it. Combining that with another recent discovery, and he felt that he would not only be able to perform the ritual, but get away with it."

The others leant in, despite themselves, as Harry told his tale.

"But first, he needed the most important ingredient." He grimaced. "A student named Myrtle had been bugging him recently, and he felt that she would be perfect to assist him in his endeavour. She mostly kept to herself, did not have many friends, and was occasionally annoying. She would not be missed if she disappeared. He got a girl called Olive Hornby to tease her until she ran to her favourite hiding place, a particular girls toilet on the second floor. The timing had to be just right. The ritual, once started, had to be completed within a certain time, or it would all be for nothing." Harry's voice fell to a whisper. "As she wept in a stall, he summoned his new pet from the Chamber of Secrets to kill her."

"The Basilisk!" Hermione snarled. Ginny wasn't the only girl in the room who had issues with that snake.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. Myrtle died with no marks or magical residue left on her body. Nothing to lead back to Tom Riddle. He completed his ritual, and the magical world was pretty much screwed from that moment on."

"Why?" Draco asked. He was actually curious as to where Potter was taking this. The fact that it had dark rituals and Slytherins in it helped, too.

"Because the ritual was for the creation of a Horcrux. He'd managed to imbue his school diary with half his soul." He answered simply, keeping a sharp eye on who would react.

Hermione blinked.

The pure-blooded teens grew pale. While none of them had ever heard the term 'Horcrux' before, they knew that any ritual that was capable of splitting the soul like Harry said, was incredibly bad news. A magical person's soul was sacred. You don't mess with it. You just _don't_.

Narcissa nearly threw up as that word was spoken. "Oh sweet Morgana save us all!"

"I see your familiar with the term." Harry was grim as she nodded weakly. "Care to explain. I want to see if my information matches yours."

Narcissa took a sip of water. "A...A Horcrux...is the darkest and filthiest of magics. Anyone who uses it, anyone who is known to even seriously _contemplate _it, is to be considered utterly beyond redemption." She spat vehemently. "It is a corruption of _all _that magic, that _life_, is supposed to represent." Taking a deep breath, she continued. "It is the very sundering of a person's innate magic. Their soul."

The others were astounded to hear such passion coming from someone who had more than a passing familiarity with the dark arts. And Draco was completely shocked. He had _never _heard his mother talk so passionately about something.

"Correct." Harry drew their attention to himself again. "A Horcrux is a way of splitting the human soul, so that if the person's body dies, they are still tethered to this plane of existence. They have a way back."

Narcissa made an intuitive leap. "Oh Merlin. Your talking about the Dark Lord, aren't you?"

"Yup."

The older woman slumped alarmingly, nearly toppling off the couch. Draco had to scramble to catch her.

"No no no no no no no no no no no no..."

"Mother-" Draco was growing panicky.

"Let her be, Draco. She's just had a big shock." Harry said softly as he offered her another glass of water. "She's just realised what almost three generations of her and her husband's family have been in the service of."

"Isn't she overreacting a bit?" Hermione asked, more than a little confused. Yes, it sounded like a really dark ritual. But honestly...

"Hermione, shut up." Ron demanded, still shocked himself from that revelation.

"Hey!"

Luna faced the Gryffindor and took the older teen's hands lightly in hers. "Hermione, to a pure-blood, a person's magical core, their soul, is as close to sacred as we get." The girl supplied gently. "We hold it to be inviolate. To even attempt to tamper with it is sacrilege to us. For him to use magic to violate it, to mutilate himself, in such a way..." Her voice petered out, shock catching up with her.

"Mie?" She looked at Harry with confusion in her eyes. "You and I are the only non-pure-bloods in this room. They have been raised their whole life to believe this." He struggled for the appropriate words to explain what the others were feeling at that moment. "By doing this, it completely destroys the soul. No wandering around as a ghost. No afterlife. Nothing. He destroys another soul to split his own. Both actions that are the antithesis of everything pure-blooded magicals have been raised to believe in."

"oh." Hermione started going a bit green around the gills herself as she thought about it fully.

"Are you...saying that the Dark Lord once...performed this ritual...upon himself?" Narcissa asked, trying to regain her composure. "He split his soul in half."

"Oh no." Harry replied. "He's split it far more than once."

* * *

A small break had to be called, as the pure-bloods had all rushed from the room to throw up. Harry had never conjured so many buckets so quickly. So, while his other guests were busy, he used the time to sit down and have a private word with Hermione.

"Who did the goblins send to lay the wards around your parents place?"

Hermione blinked as she changed mental tracks. "Bill Weasley, actually. He was very good. Though I guess he must be, if he's working for the goblins. He even let me watch as he set them. It's a very interesting branch of magic, and a lot more complicated than I thought." She paused for a moment. "Thank you, Harry. Thank you for thinking of my parent's safety."

"Yeah, well..." Harry stammered, a little embarrassed. "They're your parents. I can imagine you'd be worried about them while your at Hogwarts. It's one less thing for you to stress about."

Overcome with emotion at what he had done for her, for even _thinking _about her parents with everything else that was going on his life right now, she leant in and pressed her lips to his cheek briefly. She quickly turned and stared to the front, embarrassed and shocked that she had actually dared to do that in the heat of the moment.

Harry touched the spot where she had kissed him, cheeks going red as he tried to burn the sensation permanently into his memory. Not quite understanding what just happened, and seeing that she was looking just as confused, he quickly cast about for another topic to distract them both.

"Did you read that book on House Elves I gave you? And talk with Winky when she came to pick you up?"

"What? Oh, yeah. In fact, Sirius left me a copy of the same book on top of the pile he left me in his will." She groused good-naturedly.

"Great minds think alike, then." Harry preened, ignoring her eye-roll. "_Aaaaaaaand?_"

Hermione sighed. "And...I may have been somewhat...ill-advised...in my pursuit of _complete _liberation and freedom for the House Elves." She allowed reluctantly.

_'That's one way to describe genocide.'_ Harry thought internally. "It's good that you can admit that out loud, Hermione." He said aloud as he patted her condescendingly on the head. "Really! Don't you feel better for getting that out of your system?"

She growled, deep in her throat. "Pat me with that hand again, Potter, and I'll confiscate it 'till you graduate!"

"Yes, dear." He smirked a bit more, before becoming a little more sombre. "You know, your going to have to apologise to the Hogwarts elves when we go back." He tapped his chin in thought for a moment. "And maybe Dobby, as well. Though he'll probably dismiss it and thank you for giving him so much work to do, instead."

"What's Dobby got to do with anything." Hermione asked, conveniently blotting out for the moment, the thought of the grovelling she was going to have to do when school restarted.

Harry squirmed in his seat. He thought he had actually said something about how the Hogwarts elves had responded to Hermione's knitting efforts within the Gryffindor Tower, that particular year. "Um, remember when you started S.P.E.W. after you found out about the house elves in school? And started trying to free them by knitting clothes and leaving them scattered about the common room for the little guys to pick up?"

"Yeah?" She winced. Knowing what she did now, it really wasn't her finest moment.

"Well, they protested in the only way they knew how. They stopped cleaning Gryffindor tower."

"What?" She whispered weakly.

"Uh-huh. No cleaning No dusting. No laundry. No clean sheets. No fresh towels in the showers. Nothing!"

"Oh Lordy." Hermione groaned. The rest of the Gryff's would have lynched her from the Astronomy tower once they discovered _why_ the elves had stopped performing their duties like that. And _who _had caused it in the first place. "Wait a minute…" Her head shot up sharply from where she had been cradling it in her hands as she put two and two together. "Are you saying that Dobby spent the rest of that year cleaning the Gryffindor tower _on his own?_"

"Well, yeah." He put his hands up as a shield when she growled at him. "Hey! I didn't cause the situation, remember."

Hermione deflated again.

"He even went to bat on your behalf later on, to convince them to restart their duties again, during that summer break. From what he told me a few days ago, Albus was almost ready to step in himself to end their embargo."

"Oh no." She groaned again, visions of being sent to the headmasters office and being given a stern talking to by the headmaster over the situation.

"So yeah, I recommend lots of mismatched socks for Dobby, as a thank you." She nodded weakly. "Maybe you could knit them."

The glare she directed at him just then could have curdled milk.

He grinned cheekily, before sobering a little. "How do you think it's going so far?"

"I'm thinking that I'll be glad that I know the _scourify _charm if you keep dropping bombs like that last one." She replied dryly, referring to Harry's DIY Horcrux removal method. "I didn't bring a change of clothes with me."

Harry chuckled. "Yup. Giving pure-bloods skid marks. Always a worthy endeavour."

Hermione turned and looked him in the eye. "Seriously, Harry. How are you holding up?"

"I..." Harry looked ready to give his standard reply, but changed his mind when he saw the honest caring on his best friend's face. "I'm...I'm crying myself to sleep most nights, and not just because of Sirius either. I'm still processing the nightmares Voldemort sent me. Plus the other stuff I still have to tell you all, as well."

Hermione nodded. "That's another thing, too. How do you know all this?"

Harry shook his head. "Soon, Hermione. Soon."

She was about to try and force the issue, when the others started to filter back in to the room.

* * *

"How are you all feeling?" He asked softly as the last of them returned.

"Pukey." Luna supplied unhappily, sucking on a mint provided by Dobby.

"And hoping that _that's _the worst of it." Neville added.

"Not even close, Nev. Sorry." Harry shrugged. "Now, where was I? Oh yes. Voldemort was born Tom Marvolo Riddle. During his sixth year at Hogwarts, he split his soul to create a Horcrux in an attempt to gain immortality. Any questions so far?"

"I do not recognise the family name of Riddle." Narcissa spoke, searching her memory for a pure-blood family of that name. "It's not even the name from an Ancient and Noble house that died out in the past. Who are they?"

"Oh boy. That question is going to hurt you." Harry groaned, and slipped his wand discretely into his hand. This could get messy. "Okay, what I am about to tell you is the absolute truth. Albus knows it. Ron, Hermione, Ginny and I found it out in second year, during the Chamber of Secrets fiasco." He took a deep breath. "Tom Marvolo Riddle is a half-blood, like me. In fact, he is the illegitimate product of a potion-induced union between the last living pure-blood descendants of Salazar Slytherin, and a Muggle."

"WHAT?!" Narcissa and Draco shrieked. Luna and Neville merely shouted.

"Put those wands away you two, or I'll truss you both up like a Sunday roast and leave you in the corner." Harry said evenly. The two Slytherins looked dumbly at their own hands, wondering when they had drawn their wands and pointed them at the Regent. They slipped them back into their wand holders without a word.

"Do you have any proof?" Narcissa asked.

Harry drew 'TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE' in the air, before swishing his wand through the writing so that the letters re-arraigned themselves into 'I AM LORD VOLDEMORT'. "His spirit showed me that one himself down in the chamber."

"Spirit?" She repeated dumbly, still looking at the words floating in front of them.

"Yeah. Hey Draco? Remember in second year when your father slipped a ratty old diary into Ginny's school books at Flourish & Blotts, so he could discredit Arthur Weasley by creating a scandal?"

The boy drew his eyes away from the glowing sentence to stare at Harry. "Yeah?" It took him a moment to dredge up the memory. "Wait. _That _diary was the Horcrux you were talking about?"

"Uh-huh. Gross huh. Although I doubt that your father actually understood what he had in his possession. Otherwise, there's no way he would have used something so vital to his master's continued survival for something so petty as revenge." Harry looked thoughtful for a moment. "Actually, knowing that, I wonder why Lucius is still alive? I could see Voldie killing him quite easily for losing something so important." He looked at Narcissa, curiosity shining brightly in his eyes.

Mrs. Malfoy fidgeted in her seat uncomfortably. "...Draco was in Hogwarts for his fifth year when the Dark Lord discovered what use my husband had put the diary to, and it's subsequent destruction. Though I never found out the reason why he was so…upset over it's loss until just now, the Dark Lord's anger was... considerable." She shuddered at the memory of the screams, both her husbands, and her own.

"Hm." Harry nodded.

"Harry?" Hermione raised her hand. "If the Horcrux destroys the soul completely, why is Moaning Myrtle still around?"

"Because Tommy-boy screwed up the ritual slightly. Understandable, really, as it _was _his first attempt." Harry shrugged. "For it to work properly, you have to first perform the murder personally. Second, the victim has to be, for lack of a better word, pure."

"Pure?" Draco put in. "As in, a...a virgin, or something?" The teenagers all went slightly pink at that.

"Ah, no. That was the same mistake _he _made. Pure, in this case, meant someone who was an innocent in life." Harry fell silent, letting them figure it out on their own.

"...children." Narcissa whispered. "He needed children."

"And the younger the better." Harry spat. "So, by skipping over those two steps, Myrtle was saved from oblivion. And while that Horcrux contained half of Voldemort's soul, it was imperfect."

"How so?" The older woman asked again.

"A normal Horcrux is supposed to be nothing more than an inert vessel for the soul to reside in. An 'anchor', if you will. While they _can _take certain steps to defend themselves from destruction, it's not supposed to do anything else. The _Diary _was somewhat aware of what was going on around it, and attempting to come back to life. To give itself form again." Harry replied. "It was trying to bring itself back to life, like maybe it thought _it _was supposed to be the one walking around in a body, and not Riddle."

Ginny shuddered. "Can we talk about something else?" She was getting the shakes from all the memories this conversation was bringing back.

"What was the prophecy we were in the D.o.M. for?" Neville asked, wanting an answer for their experience, as well as to give Ginny a break. "I mean, Malfoy Senior said it had to do with you and V-Voldemort."

_"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..." _Harry intoned in an unnaturally deep voice. "Albus was given that prophecy by Sybill Trelawney. One of only two real ones that she has produced, that I know of. Several dozen people have died over the course of the last twenty years because of that, including my parents."

"What does it mean?" Neville asked.

"According to _Dumb_ledore's interpretation, that a child would be born in the wizarding world at the end of July, 1980. That child would then be marked by Voldemort, and have the best chance of actually killing the bastard for good."

"So, you then." Ron stated, pointing at his scar.

"Actually, by Voldemort and Dumbledore's reckoning, there were _two _candidates." Harry replied, looking directly at his other dorm mate in the room. Neville gulped.

"Your kidding, right! _Longbottom?_" Draco choked. "The _squib!_"

Harry noticed the others in the room shamefully nodding slightly in agreement, and decided to stomp on that line of thinking immediately. "Shut your hole, ferret." He stalked over and loomed over his ward. "Neville can produce a _Patronus_. Something only about five percent of _grown _wizards are capable of. And he managed it with a wand not attuned to him. Not something a _squib_, as you so like to call him, would ever be capable of. What's your _Patronus _look like? Hm?"

Neville smiled gratefully at him, while the others finally remembered their time in the DA.

"Frankly, I'm surprised that either of us can do magic as well as we can. From what I've seen, I imagine his grandmother never saw him as anything other than as a reminder for her lost son, killing any confidence in himself as a person." He glanced at Neville to see him nodding dolefully. "And the Dursleys tried to beat and starve the magic out of me for ten years."

"But that's neither here nor there." He stated, pointedly ignoring the looks he was getting from this little slip about his home life before Hogwarts. "Now, Voldie only heard the first two lines from one of his spies, so he didn't have much to go on. When _Pettigrew_," Harry spat the name, "a close friend to my family and recent Death Eater convert, mentioned that both the Potters and Longbottoms had gone into hiding, he grew curious. He found out that both families had recently given birth to sons at the end of July. As they were two prominent, openly Light families close to Dumbledore, he figured that they might be the ones mentioned in the prophecy. The clincher was that both couples had openly defied _and _escaped the Dark Lord's wrath three times by the time they started having kids."

Harry sighed heavily, and let his shoulders slump. "I don't know why our parents stopped shifting around, Neville." He spared the other boy a sorrowful glance. "Maybe all that running finally got to be too much? Maybe trying to raise a son each while constantly moving became too difficult? Who knows. In the end, I s'pose it really doesn't matter. They stopped in one place for an extended amount of time, and put themselves under the _Fidelius_. Pettigrew was chosen to be the secret keeper for my parents. You can guess the rest."

"How did you survive?" Narcissa asked. She had come here originally to spend some time with her son, and possibly learn some information that might be bartered with the Dark Lord to save her family from oblivion. She had not expected to have large portions of her established world view shredded. It was a sobering experience. She was even beginning to find herself..._caring _ever so slightly for Harry, and his eventual fate. She would need time to process what she was learning first.

"That Halloween night?" She nodded. "Absolutely no idea. But Dumbledore's guess was that my mother somehow wove a protective charm out of her love for me, and her blood sacrifice, to protect me."

"Oh." She frowned. Something about that didn't sound quite right. She wasn't a charms expert, though.

"However, I don't think that's the whole truth. I mean, surely other mothers and fathers would have attempted something similar at one point. And Voldemort killed enough people personally over the years that someone _else _would have lucked out. Right?" He shrugged. "No, there was something else involved. Possibly the power behind the prophecy itself, forcing it to happen. After all, what would happen if a prophecy was made not to come true?"

"That's actually a question even the Department of Mysteries can't answer." Neville put in, surprising everyone. "I, uh, overheard my great uncle Algie talking about it once, when he was visiting Gran. He works for the D.o.M.. And he'd had a bit too much to drink that night." He shrugged, and gave the floor back to Harry.

"Anyway, Voldie came after the Potters first, unknowingly fulfilling another part of the prophecy. The bit about marking me as his equal." Harry lifted his hair and exposed his scar. "Remember, he was a half-blood himself. If someone of _his _'mixed' parentage could become so powerful, to his mind, so could I. furthermore, he actually had the key to my parents hidey-hole in service to him, whereas the Longbottom's secret keeper was unknown. He also decided to use the opportunity to make another Horcrux into the bargain." He took a deep breath before he continued. "So he set the ritual in motion, burst into the house, killed my parents, and then turned on me."

"So, how does that explain your connection with him." Ginny asked after a moment's silence.

"He was in the middle of a ritual designed to split his soul, again. A murder was performed, by his own hand even. There was even a pure soul in the room." Harry growled that last. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd actually felt 'pure'.

"Oh. My. God!" Hermione gasped. "You became a Horcrux." The rest of the room gasped as well.

"Your evil!" Ron stood and pointed accusingly at Harry.

"RON!" Hermione shouted at him.

"And your a git!" Harry retorted.

"HARRY!" She spun around and shouted at him too.

"Do I get a turn?" Luna piped up suddenly.

"LUNA!" Hermione shouted at the younger girl for being silly.

"Oh goody! I do." Luna clapped her hands, delighted. "Whose next?"

"Everyone, shut up and sit down." Harry demanded loudly, and glowered at them until they obeyed. "Yes, I became a Horcrux. A living one, which is a really bad idea for all involved. And no, I'm not evil."

"But, your possessed by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!" Ron shouted again, as if that proved everything.

"So was your sister for about six months. By half his soul, no less." Harry retorted hotly. "Is she evil as well?"

"Um-" Ron looked at Ginny, suddenly not so sure of himself. She glared back at him, daring him to say anything as she caressed the hilt of her wand lightly.

"Ron, I had a chunk, a _small _chunk of Voldemort's soul buried in my brain." Harry tried to explain. "It's been there since I was a baby. If I was evil, wouldn't I have done something by now, after fifteen years? Something to draw attention to myself. At the very least, Snape would like me."

"Well..." Ron wavered, his common sense appearing now that he had gotten all the shouting out of his system for the moment. "I guess..."

"You said 'again'?" Narcissa cut in.

"Uh-huh. I was to be his seventh Horcrux." Harry answered. "Which means by that time, I would have only gotten less than one percent of his remaining soul."

"_oh_" Narcissa blanched at the number of Horcruxes that must be still out there in the world, anchoring Voldemort to life.

"Had?" Hermione piped up this time.

"What?"

"You said you 'had' a part of Voldemort in you." She repeated. "What's changed?"

"Um..." Harry scratched the back of his head. "When I fired the killing curse at myself, I killed the Horcrux." He admitted sheepishly.

"You what!"

"It's not there any more. Pretty cool huh?" He grinned for a second, before the expression faltered. "However, in doing that, I got something else."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "What did you get?" What had Harry's impulsive nature gotten him into _this _time?

Harry cringed under his best friend's glare. The one that meant no matter how he tried to justify what he was about to say, he was still in for a royal bollicking. "Every bit of knowledge Tom Riddle ever possessed, from the day he was born until the day he got hit by his own rebounding curse, is now mine."

* * *

**-END OF CHAPTER-**

* * *

Notes: I'm not quite sure whether Nagini was created before or after _that _Halloween. However, in _my _fic, I'm gonna go with yes, it was before. And I'm going to use Moaning Myrtle's death in the creation of the first Horcrux. (I have looked in the books for any indication of which death he used to create the diary, but didn't come across anything that clearly states who Voldemort murdered to do so.)

I've also seen written sometimes that Voldemort is the seventh piece of his soul, and that there were only six Horcruxes around. Below is the seven splits that were in canon. I've _assumed_ the order that they were created in:-

100% - 50% = 50%. (Riddle's Diary)

50% - 50% = 25%. (Gaunt's Ring)

25% - 50% = 12.5%. (Hufflepuff's Cup)

12.5% - 50% = 6.25%. (Slytherin's Locket)

6.25% - 50% = 3.125%. (Ravenclaw's Diadem)

3.125% - 50% = 1.5625%. (Nagini)

1.5625% - 50% = 0.78125%. (Harry Potter)

So really, Voldemort didn't have that great a hold over Harry as one might think. In fact, I recon nothing more than a good sneeze would have dislodged that shard of Voldie's soul from Harry.


	12. More Grim Matters

_"You said you 'had' a part of Voldemort in you." She repeated. "What's changed?"_

_"Um..." Harry scratched the back of his head. "When I fired the killing curse at myself, I killed the Horcrux." He admitted sheepishly._

_"You what!"_

_"It's not there any more. Pretty cool huh?" He grinned for a second, before the expression faltered. "However, in doing that, I got something else."_

_Hermione's eyes narrowed. "What did you get?" What had Harry's impulsive nature gotten him into __**this **__time?_

_Harry cringed under his best friend's glare. The one that meant no matter how he tried to justify what he was about to say, he was still in for a royal bollicking. "Every bit of knowledge Tom Riddle ever possessed, from the day he was born until the day he got hit by his own rebounding curse, is now mine."_

* * *

Harry Potter: The Power He Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: I don't own Hary Potter. J.K. Rowling and her minions do. 'nuff said!

Notes: ...nothing to really say here, this time. On with the show...

* * *

Chapter 11: (More Grim Matters.)

Hermione stared at him, slack-jawed. For a _long _time.

"Hermione?" Ron waved a hand in front of her face without getting a reaction. "_Hermy!_" Still nothing. He turned and pointed at Harry accusingly. Again. "You broke her!"

"Whoops?" Harry said unhelpfully as he walked over. "Maybe we should lay her down on the couch for a while, until she comes to again." He wasn't too worried at her reaction. He'd seen her go through similar brainfarts when he had surprised her in the past. She was either in shock over what he had done, or the fact that he now possessed more magical knowledge in his noggin than her, by a large margin. Or both. He anticipated a _long _talk, sometime in their future. With lots of smacks to the back of his head.

Luna and Ginny started on that task, Luna guiding her down as Ginny cast some basic diagnostic charms she had learnt from her mother. Apparently, the youngest Weasley had been taught them by Molly so that when she had kids of her own, she would be able to tell easily which injuries needed a trip to St. Mungo's, and which merely needed a bandage and a scolding.

While they were busy, Harry called a short break. A quick call to Dobby and Winky, and more platters of food appeared. The girls stayed near Hermione, with Ron hovering around in the background. Draco ducked out to the loo, while Narcissa made a stab at assimilating everything she had learned this afternoon.

Neville sidled up to Harry nervously. "Did you mean it? Before, I mean."

"Which bit?"

"About me maybe having some decent magical power." He shrugged. "The one about me almost being 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' is just crazy enough to be true."

Harry ran a hand through his hair, reorganising the mess up there. "Nev, while the size of a person's magical core is important, magic is also about intent and willpower. You need a clear picture in your mind about what you want your magic to do, and the confidence to see it done. Last year in the DA, you showed that you could focus when you needed to. You were _driven_. And in the Ministry, you faced down a dozen experienced Death Eaters and survived. Heck, you were the only one still standing with me by the end of the night. If that doesn't give you even a _little _confidence in yourself, I don't know what will." He smiled. "Plus, you now have a wand that _actually _fits you. I expect great things from you in the DA this year."

"Your going to do the DA again?" Neville asked, his mind boggling over what else Harry had just said to him.

"Yeah, why not? Even with that cow, Umbridge gone, there's still plenty of danger out there. And it _was _kinda fun, wasn't it? Learning without the professors looking over our shoulders all the time." He grinned cheekily. "I guess it will really depend on who we get for a DADA professor. If they're okay, we'll see. If whoever it is sucks, though, it's on for sure."

"_ooohh_." A groan came from the couch. Harry and Neville turned to see Hermione sitting up with help from Ginny. "Tell me that was just a bad dream."

"If it was the one about Harry getting fifty-plus years of dark magical knowledge dumped into his brain all at once by the Dark Lord in exchange for killing his Horcrux, it wasn't a dream." Luna supplied.

"Hey, I'd rather have the knowledge than a bit of his soul in my brain." Harry retorted, feeling a little hurt by the accusation he was sure was in there somewhere.

Hermione glared at him. "Harry James Potter! Of all the-"

"What was it like? Having a piece of the Dark Lord inside you?" Luna asked suddenly, interrupting the other girl before she could possibly say something she might regret. "How do you feel, now that it's gone?"

Harry fell silent as he pondered the best way to answer that. "Being rid if that _thing _out of my head, it's like...waking up the next morning after being sick for a long time." Everyone tilted their heads and gave him a confused look at the same time. It was so unconsciously synchronised that it was all Harry could do not to laugh. "You know! You've been sick for _ages_. Your body feels like crap. Your head feels like it's been stuffed full of cotton wool soaked in lemon juice. And then, you wake up one morning and it's _gone_. You feel as light as a feather, and bursting with energy. Like a huge weight has been lifted from your entire _being_, and all you want to do is get up and run around like a madman."

A few of them nodded, recalling the times they had been sick as kids.

"Well, multiply that by a few thousand times and you'll have a good idea of how I'm feeling."

"_That's _why you've been so insufferable for the last week?" Draco groused from the doorway.

"Nah. You just bring out the worst in me, Draco." Harry rolled his eyes. "Unfortunately, recent events have been dampening any joy I would like to be feeling over getting rid of Voldie from my head."

Hermione was looking very conflicted. One part of her wanted to slap him upside the head for doing something so dangerous, no matter what the situation. Another part wanted to hug him until his eyes popped. Standing up, she walked over and settled for something in between.

"OW!" Harry yelped as he rubbed the top of his head where she had hit him with her knuckles. "What was _that _for?"

"Same as this." She answered as she wrapped her arms around him. "For doing something incredibly stupid with the best of intentions, and managing to survive." She said into his neck.

"Um, okay." Harry dropped his arms and returned the hug.

Ron, Neville, Ginny _and _Luna were all looking slightly jealous at their show of affection for different reasons, while Draco just rolled his eyes.

"Can you two keep you hands off each other for a _little _while longer? At least wait until the rest of us are gone." He sniffed imperiously.

Hermione stiffened as she remembered the rest of the people in the room, while Harry glared at his ward. "Just because _you _can't get anyone to show you any affection without money changing hands or a betrothal contract being involved, doesn't mean the rest of us are similarly afflicted."

Draco opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off.

"Ah ah Draco. Watch what you say, of I'll tie you up and leave you in the corner for the rest of the afternoon." Draco went and stood behind his mother, grumbling dire threats under his breath. Hermione used the distraction to step back and retake her seat.

"How are you keeping that amount of knowledge straight in your head?" Ginny asked. "It must be overwhelming."

"Well, when it happened, the first thing I did when I realised what was going on was to absorb all Voldie's knowledge of Occlumency."

"...I'm impressed, Harry. That was possibly the smartest move you could have made." Hermione complimented, with Narcissa, Luna and Neville nodding their agreement. "With that, you could begin to make sense of everything you were absorbing quite easily."

"Uh-huh." Harry agreed, chuffed at her praise. "Luckily, I was knocked out for the two weeks after. Madame Pomfrey called it a 'magical coma'. It gave me time to sort everything out. I've actually got about forty percent of it done."

"Uh, how?" Ron asked, confused. "If You-Know-Who knew as much as you say he did. Does. _Whatever_." He snorted as he was confused over whether the Dark Lord was still alive or not. "How would two weeks be anywhere near enough to figure all that stuff out? I mean, it takes us _seven _years just to get the basics down at Hogwarts. He's near Dumbledore's level."

Harry was about to give Ron a withering stare, when he realised that the red-head wasn't the only one looking slightly curious. Taking a deep breath, he tried to put in to words what he had gone through.

"How many of you know what I'm talking about when I say the phrase, 'subjective time'." Hermione and Luna put their hands up. "It's mostly a non-magical term. It's like...when you have a big, long, complicated dream just before you get woken up in the morning, but you know only seconds have passed. Or when your doing something you really enjoy, and the time seems to fly. Conversely, when your doing something boring, or your waiting for class to end, and the clock seems to be going at one quarter its normal speed, dragging the lesson out for ages." Harry got some hesitant nods. "_That's _subjective time. When your personal perception of the passage of time is different to what it actually is in reality." The nods were more confident this time. The students especially understood his examples about time slowing down in a boring class.

"When I was unconscious, and I had finally figured out what was happening, I used that, plus the Occlumency, to start to organise my mind into something that could handle all that new information, as well as sort out the mess that was already there."

"Wow." Now everyone looked suitably impressed at his quick thinking. Even Draco.

"Of course, ploughing through all that knowledge led me to losing track of time completely. When I finally 'woke up' in the Hogwarts Infirmary, I was very surprised at just how much time had passed in the real world."

"How did you do it? Pull yourself out of your dreamscape, that is." Luna enquired, very curious. She'd had some instruction in Occlumency from her mother, and later, her father. Her parents had thought it a good idea at the time to start her training young. Unfortunately, she tended to overdo it, and get lost within herself, as a way of coping with the harsher aspects of her life.

"Actually, that was Albus." He chuckled, remembering the sight of Madam Pomfrey dragging the headmaster out of the Infirmary by his ear. "He'd used Legillimency to enter my mind-"

"HE FUCKING _WHAT? _AND WHILE YOU WERE IN A COMA!" Everyone looked at Luna, who'd shouted that last at the top of her lungs. "That's...that's..." She sputtered, uncharacteristically furious.

"Blatantly illegal? Borderline insane? Utterly immoral?" Harry offered.

"Yes!"

"Which one do you mean?" Ginny asked of her childhood friend.

"_All of them!_" Luna responded forcefully.

"It's true." Neville piped up, seeing the confused looks coming from Ron, Ginny and Hermione. "Entering someone's mind using Legillimency without their permission is a one way trip to Azkaban. Using it on someone who's in a coma, means running the risk of becoming trapped in the other person's mindscape. Permanently!" Seeing the stunned looks being directed his way, he started to blush. "What? Most upper-class pure-blood children are given basic training in Occlumency, so that we can defend our minds. It's tradition!" Draco, Narcissa and Luna nodded in agreement. "And since I'm going to inherit the Longbottom Lordship when I'm of age, Gran'll insist I be able to block any attempt to get in to my head, or at least know when someone's trying."

"And I'd be quite happy to help you with that, Neville. If you want." Harry offered. "It would also help me find out if what I absorbed from Voldie is on the level, too."

"Was how Voldemort learnt anything like what Professor Snape tried to teach you?" Hermione asked.

"_**Fuck no!**_" Harry answered hotly. "And let me tell you, _Snivellus _is in for one _hell _of a bad day if he tries to enter my head again!"

"..." Hermione was stunned at Harry's furious answer.

"I didn't realise that there was more than one way to teach Occlumency?" Neville asked, somewhat confused. "How did Professor Snape train you, Harry?"

"How were you taught, Neville?"

"Um, _lots _of meditation. Being shown how to clear my mind, then build a barrier out of something I was familiar with. Once she was satisfied that I had the basics, my Gran would gently probe my thoughts. She started very lightly, before gradually pushing harder. You start gently, so as to find any gaps in the barrier early, and fix them. Otherwise, you're left with holes you could drive a herd of Hippogriffs through."

Harry grunted. "And how long did it take you to build up your defences?"

Neville shrugged weakly, trying to downplay it. "It, uh, it took me a few months to figure out how to clear my mind properly, and another couple for me to build a wall strong enough to keep Gran out for any reasonable length of time. But, I was only ten at the time. And everyone was still excited that I actually _had _magic."

Narcissa nodded, somewhat impressed. It had taken Draco three times as long to become half as good, and that was only in the last year or so under Severus' personalised attention at Hogwarts.

"So, if I were to tell you that the extent of Snape's training was to stand me in the middle of the room, yell and insult me for five minutes, then scream _'Legilimens' _at me, then tell me it's my fault for not getting it straight away after he'd cracked my mind open for his perusal, _and _repeating that for an hour or so at a time, what would you say?" Harry asked blandly. "Oh, and that was from minute one of the very first lesson."

Neville, Luna and Narcissa looked ready to throw up again. Ron and Ginny weren't far behind. And Hermione...

Hermione looked like she either wanted to scream or die of self-loathing. She had defended Snape's methods, after all, even when she saw the damage it was doing to Harry. She had believed that Snape, and through him, Dumbledore, had known what they were doing. That it really was all for the best, and that he should have gone back to ask for more. That Harry was allowing his hatred of the potions professor to cloud his ability to do learn Occlumency properly.

To find out that Snape had basically been using his time to inflict a great deal of pain on Harry, simply because he could, made her want to curl up and die.

"Hermione." Harry knelt down in front of her and gently pulled her hands away from her tear-streaked face. "I don't blame you. And you shouldn't blame yourself." She shook her head, rejecting the absolution he was offering her. "You couldn't have known. There were no books in the Hogwarts Library about Occlumency or Legillimency for you to read at the time. We had been told that it was a rare talent, and that only certain people knew it. Heck, even I was starting to come around to the idea of asking for lessons again by the time it all went to crap."

Hermione tried to struggle weakly in his grip.

"You have never had a real reason to distrust an adult in a teaching position, have you?" She shook her head in a negative way. "Whereas I have never trusted adults to do right by me in my life. They always let me down. _Always_."

Harry sighed as he raised his voice for the whole room to hear, "Snape has hated my father since they went to Hogwarts together. From what I have been able to gather from Voldie's memories of using Legillimency on the greasy git, Snape was best friends with my mother from when they were children." Jaws dropped around the room at that little nugget of information. "While they were in different houses, they remained friends right up until their OWL's. The memory of his that I saw that ended my Occlumency lessons, was about the final nail in their friendship. The Marauder's had a hand in that day, as well. My father hated Snape because he was friends with the girl he was interested in, and Snape loathed my father for a great many things that happened during his time at Hogwarts." Harry turned to Draco. "_That's _where his intense dislike of me comes from. Not for anything I've done. But because I am the son of a dead man that he loathed. And, perhaps, because my eyes are a little too much like my mother's for his comfort."

"How...how do you know all this?" Narcissa asked. She had known Severus for the better part of two _decades_, and had _never _imagined that he had such secrets in his past. "Severus is a master Occlumens."

"He is _now_. Voldie arranged for his potions master to be able to protect himself from any who would seek to learn exactly what Snape was brewing for the Dark Lord in secret. And after he turned into a scary fart _that _Halloween, Albus greatly assisted the greasy git in learning the art as well. However, he was still in his late teens when Voldemort scanned his mind during his initiation into the Death Eaters. His defences back then were nowhere near what they are today."

* * *

As they pondered that, Harry looked from the window to the clock on the opposite wall. "Look guys, it's getting late. I've told you a heck of a lot today, and I want to give you time to absorb it all before we talk again."

Everyone nodded numbly. As Draco stood up and led his mother towards his room for a private conversation, Narcissa stopped briefly at Harry's shoulder and whispered something in his ear. Seeing him nod with a surprised expression on his face, she favoured him with a brief but warm smile. She then issued a polite farewell to the others in the room before allowing her son to lead them deeper into Grimmauld Place.

"What did she say to you?" Ron asked suspiciously.

"Nothing that concerns you, Ron." Harry replied curtly. "When you two get back to the Burrow, could you inform whoever it was that tried to gatecrash before that if they try to come here again without a specific invitation, the wards will remember them and react even stronger to them next time."

"Sure Harry." Ginny answered, kicking her brother in the shins when he tried to say something. The way Ron was speaking without engaging his brain first today, she didn't trust the idiot not to plant the other foot in his mouth as well. "Will we be seeing you at home before school starts?" She ventured gamely.

"Not likely." Harry said after a long pause. "I'm still very angry at your mother over her presumptuousness at Gringotts."

"oh" The youngest Weasley's face fell.

"But, you are welcome to visit here if you want. You all are." Harry looked at everyone. "Even you, Ron, as long as you mind your manners." He finished reluctantly.

Ginny's face brightened, while Ron just grunted.

"The same goes for you, Harry." Luna invited him back. "If you feel the need for fresh air, or a chance to help me name all the animals in my garden, please come over."

"You don't know what the animals are in your garden?" Ron shouted incredulously.

"Well of course I know _what _they are, Ronald." Luna answered him with an air of long-suffering patience. "However, I _have _to give them all names, otherwise the _only _thing I can call them is 'Hey, you?'. And it gets a bit confusing after a while, because they _all _answer to that." She finished, some of her confusion showing on her face.

"I'd be delighted to, Luna. Thank you for the offer." Harry put in quickly, partly to stop Ron saying something that would cause him to hex the git, and partly to cover his chuckles at the way Luna was gently teasing the red-head without him realising it.

"Same here Harry. Your welcome at Longbottom Manor any time you want to visit. I'm sure Gran would love to have you over for tea and a chat." Neville also threw his hat in to the ring. "Dunno about Draco, though. Unfortunately, it's usually good manners to invite a guest's dependants as well." He frowned, manners clearly warring with his intense dislike of the former Malfoy.

"Thanks, Nev. I will take you up on that offer, I promise. And don't worry about Draco." Harry soothed. "I wouldn't inflict the ponce on you like that, manners be damned. But, if Madame Longbottom insists, I'll try to make sure that Mrs. Malfoy comes along as well, to keep him in line. As a daughter of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, I'm sure she would know how to... what's the word I'm looking for?" He snapped his fingers.

"Comport?" Hermione offered.

"_That's _the one!" He grinned. "Comport herself appropriately in polite company, and make sure Draco does too."

Neville looked relieved at having a way around a potentially awkward breach in etiquette.

"Harry?" He turned to Hermione. "My parents would like you to come over for dinner soon, as well. They wish to thank you in person for what you did." She smiled brightly at him.

"Sure. I'll send Hedwig in a couple of days, and you can write me a note saying when. Okay?" She nodded again.

"Come on! Lets get this show on the road. Dinner'll be served at home soon, and I'm starving!" Ron punctuated this grumbled demand with a stomach growl. Everyone rolled their eyes and made their way to the _Viaticus _room.

Ron and Ginny left first, Ginny finally snagging that hug from Harry she felt she had missed out on when she arrived. Luna went next, also giving Harry a hug, and giggling into his ear when he commented that he could easily get used to this way of saying hello and goodbye from the girls.

Neville looked like he wanted to say something, but wasn't sure how to phrase it. He settled for reiterating his invitation to Harry, and shaking his hand firmly before stepping into the Floo. Which left Hermione.

"'Sup, Mie?" Harry asked, after watching his best friend watch him without speaking for a few moments.

"...Where did you hear that?" She finally asked. "You've called me that a few times, today."

"Oh, uh, I heard your parent's call you that, the day of the will reading, and I kinda liked it. It fits you, somehow." He shrugged. "Though, if you don't like me using it, I'll stop." He offered, belatedly realising that it might be a nickname only her parents can use safely.

"No, it's alright, I suppose." She said finally. "It's kind of something Mum and Dad use at home. Something away from magic." She shrugged, struggling to put her feelings about the nickname into words accurately. "So, only when its just us, okay?"

"Okay." Harry readily agreed, and was rewarded with a smile. "So, what's up?"

"I...I just..." She sighed deeply.

"If it's about the Occlumency thing. I told you: Forgiven and forgotten."

"No. Well, not just that." She allowed when he raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I'm just...still getting used to how you've changed in since the end of school." She finally admitted, then braced herself for the explosion she felt was coming.

"Yeah, you and me both." He admitted easily.

Hermione opened one eye cautiously. "That's it? No shouting, or anything? No denying that you've changed?"

"Yup! No. And no." He grinned at her shocked expression. "What, you thought that I was going to get all defensive or something?"

"Well, yeah."

Harry laughed. "Hermione, I admit that the past few weeks have been the worst I've experienced in a long time."

She shuddered, knowing just how bad his life has been on occasion. And that was only what he had shared with her and Ron.

"But, the thing I think everyone has missed is, _I no longer have a part of Voldemort's soul in me!_" Harry enunciated. "Yes, I can be a moody tosser at times. I admit that. But, when I've lost my temper in the past, or done something stupid and thoughtless, it always felt that there was a part of me that was pushing my emotions to extremes. Like there was a burning sphere of pure negative energy, deep in my mind, waiting for any excuse to latch on to, and flare up." He looked at her with an expression of relief. "I can really notice its absence. I'm not numb, or anything. I just... I feel like I can think clearly for the first time in my life. Like I can finally start living up to my full potential."

"Oh Harry." Hermione almost cried again. How could she have missed that?

"I mean, yeah, I've got Voldies knowledge stuck in my head. _All _the crap he's pulled up until that Halloween. But, I can distance myself from it, because I know its not my life I'm looking at. And the Occlumency makes that a _lot _easier to do, too." He said, relieved by that fact. "_Despite _that, and Sirius' death, and Albus being a pain the arse, _all _that. I'm just so bloody happy to be feeling like I'm truly _**me **_for the first time in for ever!" He looked at her apologetically. "I don't quite know how to explain it any better, unfortunately."

"_Oh Harry!_" Hermione flung herself into Harry's surprised embrace. "I've been so worried at how you've been acting so differently from how you used to. Everyone has. And all you've been doing, really, is standing up for yourself." She sniffled into his neck. "I'm sorry for thinking that you might have been changing for the worse. But your not." She leant back and looked into his eyes. "You're actually acting a lot more mature, is all. It's a nice change. And you look more relaxed than you used to, now that I think about it. Like you've finally got a handle on all the horrible stuff that seems to follow you around."

"Um, thank you." Harry blinked, looking somewhat distracted.

Hermione was about to ask why Harry was a little unfocused, when she finally realised what position she had put the two of them in. She had her arms around his neck, and was leaning away from him so she could look up at him better. Which meant that _other _parts of her were leaning closer to him. Harry had managed to snake his own arms around her waist when she was distracted, and had laced his fingers together over the small of her back, from the feel of it. And their faces were so close together that she could feel his quick breathing sending ghostly sensations across her cheeks. "Um" She licked her lips unconsciously.

"Um" Harry echoed, not quite sure what to do. Even with several decades of appropriated memories, he was still crap when it came to understanding women.

And so, the moment passed awkwardly.

"I, um..."

"Your parents..."

"Yeah." Hermione disentangled herself from Harry, struggling to understand where the last few minutes came from, and whether it meant anything more than her attempt to both apologise and comfort Harry for not trusting him to be anything other than the good man she knew him to be.

While Harry was wondering if he should be kicking himself for missing a golden opportunity, or kicking himself for even considering attempting something like _that _with his best friend in the first place.

"Thank you for telling us what you did today, Harry. Even if it raised more questions than it answered." She sent him a small grin.

He returned it nervously. "Yeah, sorry about that. Winky?"

**/CRACK/**

"Yes, Master Harry?" The female House Elf asked eagerly. Kreacher and Dobby had been arguing loudly about proper masters in the kitchen again, and she was happy to have something else to do. Watching those two try and stuff each other onto a tea kettle stopped being funny after the first dozen times.

"Could you return Hermione to the Granger residence, please?"

"Yes, master Harry." She turned to Hermione. "Are you ready to go, Miss Mie?"

Hermione raised her eyebrows at that, and glared at Harry.

"I don't know why. Ask Winky." Harry put his hands up defensively.

"I will." She grumbled.

"I'll send Hedwig in a day or two. Okay?"

"Okay." She looked like she wanted to hug him again, but was unsure after their moment from before. She settled for a rather lame wave before taking Winky's hand. "Bye."

**/CRACK/**

Harry sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Well, _that _could have ended better." He blew a frustrated breath through his lips. "Must remember to clear the air between us when I go over for dinner with her parents. I don't want to lose her over... _whatever _it was that just happened." He sighed again. "She's turning into a bloody good looking woman, though. I won't deny that." And with that thought, he went in search of his other guests.

* * *

More Notes: Luna is actually really hard to write. At least, I find her so. It's a pain trying to find a balance between her outer, 'loony' persona, and the insightful young woman that's hidden a bit deeper inside.

* * *

**-END OF CHAPTER-**


	13. Skipping Over Time

The Power He Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: Ah, no, Harry Potter ain't mine in any way, shape, or form. It's J.K. Rowling's.

Notes: Not one hundred percent happy with how this chapter turned out. Then again, they can't all be winner's can they…

* * *

CHAPTER 12:- (Skipping over time.)

In the few weeks since the meeting at Grimmauld Place, Harry had not been idle.

He had taken up Neville and Luna on their offers for him to visit them, and more than once. At Longbottom Manor, he had introduced himself to Augusta Longbottom, and spent no small time talking with her about the wizarding world. She had graciously accepted his desire to be educated in pure-blood etiquette and politics. Harry privately thought that she was using his request as an excuse to sit her grandson down alongside him and educate the both of them, considering that they would both end up the respective heads of their houses in the fullness of time.

When Neville figured this out, he spent the rest of that particular day throwing dirty looks at Harry for doing this to him. He got enough lessons about this sort of stuff already from his gran. He didn't need it chewing up even _more _of his summer away from Hogwarts.

Neville's annoyance served to add a bit of spice to the duelling practice he and Harry had begun engaging in on a regular basis.

At Luna's, Harry allowed his offbeat friend to guide their time. Between the periods of comfortable silence between them, he spent hours listening to her rattle off facts and suppositions about the many magical animals she thought existed, or the conspiracies her father believed and dutifully reported in his paper, The Quibbler. It was distracting, in the best way possible. And Harry was occasionally quite surprised to find that certain animals Luna spoke of, resonated faintly with the memories he had gained from Voldemort. When he mentioned these few examples, Luna just gave him a smile that made him think that she thouight that he was silly for doubting her, but that she didn't hold it against him.

Meeting her father, Xenophilius, for the first time was interesting. While the man was friendly enough, and as abstract as Harry had imagined the father of Luna might be, the older fellow seemed to be caught painfully between being ecstatic over the fact that his little girl had finally made some good friends at Hogwarts, and annoyed at the fact that one of them was a teenage boy, and quite capable of visiting his little girl at their home when he was out at work. Luna gleefully leading Harry around like he was her pet was not helping things. Mister Lovegood's face contorted in to some rather interesting expressions during that first afternoon.

All in all, Harry always enjoyed his visits to the Lovegood home. Stress and pressure were foreign concepts there.

The first time he returned to the Granger household, however, was strained. Mostly due to the fact that Harry and Hermione were a little hesitant with each other. Her parents noticed this, but did not comment. They had guessed that their daughter had something of a crush on Harry long ago, mostly from the fact that all her letters home from Hogwarts usually contained a minimum of seven mentions of him. And she got a distant look on her face when she stared at any photo of him she possessed when she was home. When asked, though, she always stated firmly that they were nothing more than best friends.

They had sat down for a home-cooked dinner, (which Harry found strange. A home-cooked dinner that he _hadn't _prepared, but _was _allowed to eat!) and the conversation had skipped all over the place. Stories of their adventures at Hogwarts. The occasional cringe worthy tales from both of them about the other. The senior Grangers recalling childhood events about Hermione, much to her embarrassment.

It was during these that Harry finally put something together. After his almost-moment at Grimmauld Place with Hermione, he had spent a couple of nights going through Voldemort's interactions with the opposite sex, trying to gain some insight into the female of the species. It was quite pathetic, he mused to himself, that the only reliable source of information about girls that he had available to him came from the memories of a barely human sociopath hell-bent on causing his demise. Unfortunately, he didn't have anyone else he could ask readily available.

Seeing as how Tom Riddle had been an accomplished man-whore during his time at Hogwarts, seducing every girl he was able to simply because he could, and liking the control it gave him over them, Harry now possessed a vast repertoire of knowledge of female anatomy and how to best exploit it. He also knew that Parseltongue could drive women nuts if applied correctly.

Unfortunately, this knowledge came with a cost. Namely, the reasons behind how and why Voldemort gained it. It wasn't for love, or even lust. Voldemort never enjoyed the act of sex like most normal people would. It was about control. He never allowed himself to lose control, to give in to the sensations involved in the act. But causing others to, being able to bend their emotions to his will, seducing even the most uninterested woman into his bed was a challenge, and good training for when he put his talent at persuasion to furthering his goal of revenge on the wizarding society. And that was _before _Harry got to Riddle's post-Hogwarts years.

Harry spent a further two nights scrubbing his brain out after that. But, it explained to him a few things about how women acted and reacted. And that was what clicked.

Hermione was attracted to him in a romantic way. Furthermore, she wasn't the _only _one in his small circle of friends, if his Occlumency-enhanced memory was correct.

Now he just had to get her alone, and explain that with everything going on in his life right now, he was not anywhere near able to devote the proper amount of time to a relationship, if that was even what she wanted with him. Because there were signs that Hermione was slightly interested in Ron Weasley as well.

Unfortunately, Daniel Granger was more than a little wary about his only daughter spending time alone with a wealthy, emancipated and ennobled teenage boy under his roof. There was too much temptation from _both _sides, he felt. No matter how much Harry had done for her and them. So, with a slightly paranoid father making sure that they didn't have more than two minutes at a time alone together, Harry decided to leave any discussion with Hermione about feelings until after they were back at Hogwarts.

* * *

He continued to ignore any suggestions from various sources that he should forgive and forget, and pop over to see the Weasleys. He was still too angry at Molly's arrogant presumption.

* * *

He had also decided that he needed to gain his Apparition licence. He already knew how to Apparate, from Voldemort's memories. He had also practiced doing it in one of the basements of Grimmauld Place, safely behind the wards, where the Ministry could not detect. Now that he was emancipated in the eyes of British magical law, he was going to start accruing whatever licences, authorisations and permits and he could as both an 'adult' and a Lord. Starting with magical transportation.

So, he rose early one morning and travelled to the Ministry, choosing his time carefully so that he could slip in and out unnoticed. The excitement and associated mayhem over the confirmation of a new Minister of Magic was the perfect distraction. And he was glad that Amelia Bones had been elected. (Flying memo's swarming through the corridors that crashed into people randomly bearing the news informed him rather painfully of that fact.)

He had always gotten a good vibe of the stern woman. Her behaviour during his farce of a trial a year ago spoke of someone who did not suffer fools and incompetence lightly. She was, Harry mused privately, the very best of a bland bunch. As such, he was glad that she had survived the recent Death-Eater attempt on her life, which the Prophet had announced on their front page not long ago. (Yet another reason to be glad that Voldemort was out of commission for the moment. If _he _had decided to lead that assassination attempt, Harry felt that Madame Bones would not have been nearly so lucky that night.) He decided to send her a congratulatory note on her new position, via her niece Susan Bones (a classmate from Hufflepuff, as well as a member of the DA), as soon as he was able.

Chance, it seems, had other ideas. On his way out of the ministry towards the Floo room, an area that gave him the shivers after his experiences there not too long ago, he actually bumped into Susan and Hannah Abbott, her best friend.

* * *

_**-:FLASHBACK:-**_

"_Hey! _Watch where... Harry _Potter?_" Susan yelled. Or tried to. Harry had clamped a hand over her mouth before the third word was out.

"Hi Susan. Hi Hannah." Harry said amiably. "Could you please _not _squeal my name out in the middle of the ministry? I'm actually trying to be inconspicuous."

Both girls nodded. As he let Susan go, he looked around to see if the mild Notice-Me-Not charm he had cast upon himself before he left the Ministry Licensing Department was still functioning. It was strong enough to deflect any casual curiosity directed towards him, but if someone actually knew him well, they could defeat it. Seeing as he had been the unofficial DADA teacher last school year for both girls, amongst others, it was enough to get around the charm in their case.

"Why are you hiding?" Hannah asked.

Harry looked at her with a raised eyebrow, while Susan punched her friend in the arm. "Think, girl! Boy-Who-Lived in the ministry? Who just happened to be _right _about You-Know-Who being back all last year! They wouldn't know whether to hex him or throw him a parade."

"Oh. Yeah." The other girl had the grace to look sheepish.

"Do you know anywhere we could go to talk quietly?" Harry asked. "Because I can imagine that I'm not gonna get away from you two without a chat, am I?"

"Smart little Gryffindor." Susan smirked. "Leave it to me."

In short order, they were in Madam Bones' office, deep within the Auror's Department. They had gotten in to the Head of the DMLE's room, past a hall full of Aurors, simply by Susan telling the other two to grab her emergency Portkey that had been specifically made for her by her aunt. Once all three were seated comfortably, Susan spoke, "We've been hearing some very weird things the past couple of weeks, Harry. Mostly in connection to you. What'cha been up to?"

Harry sighed. "What have you heard?"

"Well, someone apparently confunded the magical sensors for the part of London where you live during the summer, so the DMLE only got a partial scan of a nasty pulse of magic that came from Little Whinging a few weeks ago." Both Harry and Hannah looked at each other, then at Susan. She shrugged. "Auntie Amelia was doing her nut over the fact that someone had tampered with ministry equipment, and I just happened to overhear her tearing strips off one of her underlings. Heck, her people can't even tell her exactly _when _it happened. Although, confunded sensors would explain how those Dementors managed to get near where you live without tripping every alarm in greater London, last year."

Harry wondered internally if that bitch, Umbridge, did it, or whether Dumbledore was responsible.

Hannah spoke next. "Daddy's been muttering about the rumours going around the Wizengamot about how was it possible for a Scion of an Ancient and Noble family to be sent to Azkaban without a trial. Apparently, that mass murderer, Sirius Black? His will was read and ratified by the goblins not long ago. And not just the personal stuff either, but the distribution of House Black, as well as the Lordship."

"Yeah, I heard auntie going on about that too." Susan interjected. "The goblins are notoriously reluctant to read a will by a convicted criminal. Especially when it comes to the Ancient and Noble Houses. In their eyes, criminals have no rights. Heck, sometimes it takes the magical treaties between them and the ministy to force them to do it when the issue comes up."

"So?" Harry asked, wondering if this was something Madame Longbottom hadn't covered with him yet in their lessons.

"_So_, if they read it without any sort of protest being lodged at all, it means that someone's screwed up, _big _time, all those years ago." Susan declared enthusiastically.

"Oh yeah, and apparently he named a Regent to the House of Black, to watch over that prat, Draco." Hannah finished, then looked at Harry expectantly.

"What?"

"Nothing." She replied quickly. "I just thought that you'd have more of a reaction to the fact that Draco Malfoy, someone who's been taking shots at you ever since you both started at school, was now only a few years away from being a fully-fledged Lord, with a seat on the Wizengamot."

"If the little prick manages to live that long." Harry muttered under his breath.

"What do you mean by that?" Susan asked, having heard Harry's comment.

"I..." He sighed. Looking at both girls long and hard, to the point where they were both starting to squirm under the scrutiny, Harry appeared to come to a decision. "Can you two keep a secret? I mean, not breathe a word of it until it becomes public on September 1st?"

"Um, sure Harry." Susan looked at her best friend. "We're Puffs. Loyalty's our thing. When give our word, we'll keep it."

"What Suzie B. said." Hannah agreed. "And besides, you _know _us, from the DA. What's up?"

"True enough." Harry sighed again. "I've just...I've got more than a few potions on the boil at the moment, and I'm a bit paranoid. Plus, I'm not really ready for what I'm about to tell you to get out. At all! My life's screwed up enough as is. I really _don't want _the extra attention this is going to bring down upon me, y'know?"

Both girls didn't quite know how to respond to that. From anyone else, that statement would sound like unrepentant whining of the first order. However, what little they both know of Harry's life indicated that what they are about to learn is going to be big.

"Okay. First of all, only seven other people, plus a couple of goblins, know what I'm about to tell you. Hermione, Neville, Luna, Ron and Ginny. Narcissa Malfoy and Draco Black as well."

"_What?_"

"_Why those two?_"

"Because they're both up to their necks in it. I've made sure of it." Harry said with an evil grin. "Their fates are tied rather tightly to mine for the next few years."

"How did the others find out?"

"Well, they were the ones who were nearest when I had to get inside the Department of Mysteries-"

"Wait." Susan shrieked. "_Those _guys are the rest of 'The Ministry Six'? That was _them _that broke in to the Department of Mysteries and fought those Death Eaters with you?" Harry nodded. "Oh man, auntie was ropeable over that fiasco."

"I can imagine. However, it's not important to the story right now, other than that was when Sirius Black died. Fighting _against _the Death Eaters." He finished with a hard tone.

Susan opened her mouth to ask something, looked closely at Harry, then changed her mind and asked something else. "_Why _are you so sure of that?"

"Because he died protecting me from Bellatrix Lestrange. And because he was my Godfather."

"oh"

"When his will was read, I was named one of the primary beneficiaries." At that, he showed them the ring on his left pinkie.

"Merlins ghost. _Your _the Black Regent!" Susan exclaimed.

"Yeah." He smirked. "And as you can imagine, Draco's not really happy about that."

"I'll bet!" Hannah chuckled.

"And getting the Regency, led to this." Harry held up his other hand and dissolved the disillusionment charm there.

"Morgana's tits!" Both girls shouted. "Your Lord Potter now, _too?_"

"Yup. And that's what I want kept secret for a little while longer."

Hannah shook off her shock. "For how long? Because both the Black and the Potter seats on the Wizengamot have shifted from 'stasis' to 'pending' already, according to daddy."

"Huh?"

"When the status of a family on the Wizengamot changes, the physical seat itself changes as well. If its in stasis, that is, when no current head of house or proxy is in control of the seat, its nothing but a rather plain looking chair with a grey cloak over it. If it's in a transitional state, the seat is covered by a blurring charm as it changes and awaits the person it knows is coming to claim it. When it's active, it looks something like the chairs in the headmaster's office, very plush and comfortable."

Harry blinked. "How does a Wizengamot seat know it's about to be claimed?"

"Magic?" Susan answered with a way too innocent expression on her face.

Harry raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh fine. Your no fun." She snorted. "House magic. The seat knows that the head of house ring has been claimed, and reacts accordingly."

"Hunh. You learn something new every day."

"Indeed." At the sound of an unexpected voice coming from the doorway behind them, Harry jumped to his feet and created a _Protego _shield between whoever it was and himself and the two Hufflepuffs. He then drew his wand back, ready to cast hexes if needed.

Amelia Bones barely had time to blink as all that happened. _'Merlin's Staff, he's fast!' _She thought as she raised her empty hands in a placating gesture. "At ease Lord Potter. I mean you no harm. I am merely here to see why my niece felt it necessary to use a Portkey specifically made as an escape measure to sneak a boy in to my office." She explained in a calm tone, not wishing the situation to escalate.

"Oh. Right. Sorry about that." He dispelled the shield and allowed his wand to withdraw back into the concealed wand-holster on his right forearm, then scratched the back of his head nervously. "I'm a little bit jumpy today."

Madam Bones hummed neutrally at that. "That was a very quick draw. And a silently cast _Protego _shield too, if I'm not mistaken. Very impressive."

Harry flushed slightly at the honest praise.

"Now, may I ask what you are doing in a room, unchaperoned, with my niece and her best friend?" The corner of her mouth quirked slightly. Everything she had heard about the young man in front of her, from a variety of sources, told her that nothing untoward would have happened. However, one of the first things they teach an Auror about interviewing suspects is to keep your prey unbalanced. It makes getting whatever information you want out of them somewhat easier.

"That was my fault, auntie." Susan gamely put her hand up. "We ran into each other as he was trying to leave the ministry, and he asked for a quiet place to talk. And considering how the ministry in general has been flaying his reputation in the Prophet for the last year, I thought..." She trailed off.

"You thought that my office would be the quietest place to hide, especially considering the fact that my confirmation as the new minister is on today. Which, I imagine, would also explain why you were here at this time, as well. It would make a very convenient distraction if someone wished to get in and out of the Ministry of Magic without drawing too much attention to themselves, wouldn't it?" Amelia quirked an eyebrow up at Harry. He nodded. "But you forgot, Susan, that not only am I still keyed for the wards surrounding the office of the head of the DMLE, but that I also know when that particular Portkey is activated."

Susan looked abashed. "Sorry, auntie Am."

Amelia smiled warmly. "That's okay sweetie. The Portkey also lets me know something of your emotional state when you use it. I knew that you had brought visitors with you, and that their intent was benign. Just don't make a habit out of it."

"Thank you auntie."

"Ah, congratulations on becoming the Minister for Magic, Madam Bones." Harry interjected. When she looked at him curiously he continued. "A flock of memo's assaulted me earlier, and wouldn't let me be until I read one of them."

"Thank you, Lord Potter."

Harry sighed and scratched the back of his head. "You heard that bit, huh."

Amelia nodded. "Why are you trying to hide that information, may I ask?"

Harry exhaled loudly, trying to decide whether or not to say anything. He hadn't meant to say much past what he already had, to Susan and Hannah. But, it would be pretty nice to have the Minister for Magic on _his _side, for a change. And it might come in handy down the track to have a person in authority that he could trust further than he could throw an elephant without magic.

"This doesn't leave this room, please." Susan, Hannah and Amelia nodded their agreement. "When I step on to Platform 9 ¾ in a few weeks, I imagine that I will be mobbed by press looking for a statement. Which I will give. If I confirm the rumours now, I'll have every reporter hunting me without respite. Not to mention a lot of annoyed Death Eaters, as well as distant relatives of the Black line nursing a grudge. Like I said to these two, I have a few things I'd like to get done without more undue attention than is absolutely necessary. As it is, neither Draco or I are able to poke our heads into the magical world in daylight at the moment without some heavy-duty glamour charms in place. If I leave it 'till just before I head back to Hogwarts, I gain a measure of peace and security." _'I'll also be able to track any intruders with the Marauder's Map. Plus, Albus won't want anyone __else__ wandering around his territory, trying to get me under their control.' _He continued mentally.

"I see. Not bad, Lord Potter." Amelia nodded. "And the status of the Wizengamot seats under your control?"

"I will lodge my written intent for the reactivation of those seats the morning I get on the Hogwarts Express. And I will do so in person at the next Wizengamot meeting. Madam Longbottom has kindly offered to guide me through the whole process."

"Augusta is willing to do that?" Amelia was surprised. The Longbottom matriarch rarely got involved in the workings of the Wizengamot. She usually held herself aloof from the various factions, and voted as her conscience dictated.

"Yes. Both she and Narcissa Malfoy have been trying to bring me up to speed on the ins and outs of the workings of pureblood politics. Sadly, my _former _guardians never saw fit to educate me in that part of my birthright." Harry growled, thinking of the various curses he'd like to hurl at Albus for denying him this part of his education. And the less said about the Dursleys, the better.

"_Narcissa Malfoy!_" All three women shrieked.

"Why would she even consider doing something like that, for _you_ of all people?" Amelia demanded, disturbing scenarios running quickly through her mind.

"Because, despite the fact that he's a nancy-boy ferret, she loves her son dearly. And Draco's fate is firmly within my hands for the near future." Harry replied simply.

Amelia nodded as some things began to make sense to her. "The Regency contract between you and the Scion of House Black?"

"Yup!" Harry confirmed. "Until Draco reaches twenty-five, I have control of him."

"How..._Why _on earth would a son of Lucius Malfoy allow himself to be bound in such a way?" Amelia asked, profoundly shocked. Dark Lords aside, Malfoys have always prided themselves on not bowing to _anyone!_

"I'm sorry, but that's between myself, Draco, and his mother." Harry grinned. _'Because he got greedy, and scared, and completely suckered by my godfather. And I'm sick of talking about it.' _He didn't say. "Speaking of Death Eaters that are failures, did the Prophet get it right about the recent attack on your home?" He asked, trying to redirect the topic.

"Indeed." Amelia answered, allowing the change. "Our best guess is that The Dark Lord wished to eliminate any chance of someone like me becoming the Minister."

"Yes. Having someone competent, with a strong personality, in charge of the Ministry _would _be bad for him, I s'pose." Harry mused. "Goodness, a Ministry that was more interested in prosecuting Voldemort than me! How delightfully refreshing!" More than a hint of sarcasm was detectable in his voice.

"Harry!" Susan and Hannah shouted at him, scandalised at his cheek, and for using _that _word.

"What? It'd be a nice change." He defended himself, barely holding in the pout threatening to erupt on his face.

"And auntie Am will probably have much more important things to do than chase _you _around." Susan said, looking pointedly at her aunt.

"Oh yes. Much to busy." Amelia agreed, rolling her eyes at her niece's unsubtle bit of hinting.

"Careful, Suzie. If the hints your dropping get any bigger, you might hurt someone when they land." Hannah sniggered.

"Oh shut up." Susan blushed and jabbed an elbow in her best friends ribs.

"Madam… _Minister _Bones?" Harry addressed Amelia formally.

She raised a curious eyebrow at his tone. "Yes?"

"I, uh... I would like to make an appointment with you for a private conversation, sometime in the near future. Just the two of us." He fidgeted slightly, his just-thought-of idea racing through his mind without any sort of common sense attempting to slow it down, or refine it. In other words, typical Gryffindor behaviour. Hermione would _so _be kicking his arse right now, if she was here.

The newly-minted Minister of Magic's eyes narrowed. "Regarding…?"

Harry's voice dropped an octave as he grew serious. "The eventual and complete eradication of Voldemort from this plane of existence." He declared.

Amelia's first reaction was to laugh. The Ministry got several owls carrying crackpot ideas on how to do just that every day. This response was initially tempered by the knowledge that the boy before her had faced the Dark Lord at least twice since he had started at Hogwarts, if the tales her niece had written in her letters to her over the years were in any way accurate. She then noted the rather surprising confidence he was displaying about that brash statement. As if… as if he actually _knew _how to bring about such a conclusion.

"That's… a rather bold claim to be making, Lord Potter." She said finally.

"True. Nevertheless..." Harry paused.

Amelia pondered his request. "I would like to give you some of my time, My Lord. However, I have a very busy few weeks ahead of me, as I am sure you can guess." What would he give her to whet her interest, she wondered.

Harry nodded. "I understand." Getting settled into her new position as Minister for Magic will be time consuming, to say the least. He needed to grab her curiosity. Get her wondering what he might say, but not enough to give anything away if others got a hold of it. And he knew just the thing. "As Minister, can you gain access to the department of Mysteries?"

"Yes." She drawled cautiously.

"Head to the Hall of Prophecy, and go to row ninety-seven. About a third of the way down that row, about this high," He indicated a height just above his eyes, "you should see a label that will, at the very least, grab your attention." He grinned enigmatically as he finished.

'_Not bad'_, she mused internally. The break-in at the D.o.M. was still something of a sore point for the Aurors. And the Unspeakables, for that matter. Six Hogwarts students, a dozen Death Eaters, Dumbledore's vigilante group, _including _the man himself, and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named all traipsing around a department that was supposedly the most secure in the whole of the Ministry. Any chance to find out what the reason behind an epic balls-up of _that _magnitude was not to be ignored.

"…Very well. I'll look into that, and make a decision accordingly." She allowed.

Harry bowed slightly. "That's all I ask, Minister Bones."

_**-:END FLASHBACK:-**_

* * *

While that morning had turned out to be surprisingly successful for Harry, he still had a lot of things he wanted to get done before he was somewhat confined within Hogwarts. With both the Marauder's Map and his father's Invisibility Cloak, sneaking around the castle wasn't impossible. However, he felt that the headmaster would be following his movements a lot closer than he had in previous years. The fewer unauthorised excursions out of the castle, the less chance of him being caught, the less likely Dumbledore could get something to hold over him.

* * *

Other hi-jinks included Horcrux hunting. With the one inside him destroyed, along with the diary, Voldemort was down to five.

He had taken Ravenclaw's Diadem from the Room of Requirement as soon as he found out he was going to Gringotts for the will reading. He figured that if the goblins were able to crack the ancient tombs left behind by the powerful wizards of history, they might have come across a few Soul Anchors in the past. The ancient Egyptian mages in particular, had a great fascination for life beyond death. In fact, from what Voldemort had found out in his own studies on the subject, Horcruxes were the original inspiration behind the practice of removing internal organs and putting them into Canopic jars by non-magical Egyptians. The had found old writings on the subject of living forever, and had adapted the idea as best they could without magic being involved. Harry actually found the whole concept of magical practices informing non-magical beliefs and behaviours fascinating, and resolved to review Voldies memories on the subject in more detail at a future point.

Nagini was out of range for the moment. It was the one Horcrux that was constantly mobile, so Harry couldn't depend on his pilfered memories to point the way to the giant snake.

So was Hufflepuff's Cup. He had spoken with DragonsBane while Draco was pondering over whether to accept Sirius' will, and had presented the Diadem to the goblin then. After DragonsBane had confirmed what Harry had given him, the new Regent raised the possibility of another of Voldemort's soul anchors being inside the bank. Specifically, inside the Vault of one of his most ardent followers.

Bellatrix Lestrange was not mentioned by name. For one thing, he would have to explain just _how _he knew that it was in that specific person's vault. Plus, the more trouble he could spread around for the Death Eaters, the better. Even if it was just making them nervous by having the goblins stalking them every time they entered the bank.

It had taken some time to convince the goblin that Voldemort was in fact insane enough to make _more _than one Horcrux. Once that obstacle was overcome, the goblins were most pleased at being offered the chance to extinguish any other shards of the Dark Lord's soul that Harry might happen upon. However, they could not, by their own rules, violate the sanctity of a wizards vaults. For any reason. It would be bad for business if the wizarding world found out that goblins were rummaging around in their vaults, no matter what the rationale.

When he was told this, Harry wondered aloud if there was a way that they could monitor, in some way, any withdrawals the Death Eaters that visited the bank might make. A Horcrux had to have a pretty distinctive magical signature, wouldn't it? Once the Horcrux was out of the vault itself, it was fair game, wasn't it? And after all, they had the Diadem to take a base magical signature reading from, didn't they?

DragonsBane's grin had been very wide and toothy after that suggestion.

Harry had decided to hold off on going after the locket for the moment. Besides, he wanted Draco along for that one. It was time the ferret got a better idea of what the monster he had wanted to enslave himself to was capable of.

Which left the ring.

* * *

Harry looked around at the remains of the Gaunt shack from the edge of the wards Voldemort had left, grimacing at the skeletal snake still nailed to the front door.

"He couldn't have tidied the place up a bit before he left?" Harry sighed, ten years of being the Dursley's house elf rising up within him and demanding he clean up the mess. "Well, nothing for it, I s'pose."

Harry layered a few of his own Notice-Me-Not and Muggle-Repelling charms around the area, not wanting some unsuspecting non-magical to blunder into range and possibly get themselves killed while he was taking apart the Dark Lord's traps. Having done that, he then set about dismantling the wards and traps saturating the small property.

It took Harry most of the morning and a good part of lunch before he finally managed to open the front door. While he knew what traps were there, and how to take them down, spells cast in Parseltongue drew more power from a wizard's core. Whether using that magical language sharpened the intent of the spell work, causing it to become stronger, was something neither he nor Voldemort knew for sure. All Harry _did _know, was that neutralizing them using the same method was absolutely exhausting!

Pausing at the door, Harry caught his breath and nibbled on a sandwich Winky had provided him with before he left Grimmauld Place that morning. He then drank a pepper-up potion, centred himself and reviewed Tom Riddle's memories of what was inside. He did not want to set something off just because he was in a hurry now that he was so close to his goal for the day.

Another hour passed, and Harry was finally standing over an open hole in the floor of the shack, breathing hard at the day of exertions now safely behind him. Slytherin's ring was safely inside a bottomless pouch Sirius had thoughtfully left him in one of the trunks that had been hidden his room. The shack was finally as harmless as it appeared to be on the outside.

"What in the…" Harry muttered to himself in surprise. He felt the ring doing… _something_, as he held it near himself. It seemed to be resonating with him, somehow. On a whim, he pulled his fathers Invisibility Cloak out of another pouch on his hip, and held the two close together, not quite touching. He'd brought it along, just in case he needed an invisible escape.

The resonance increased slightly. "Huh?" It didn't feel like the Horcrux within the ring was pulling at him. Nor did he feel any mental pressure to do anything. But, there was still _something _there, just outside of his sensory range.

"Why would a family heirloom of the Potters, and the family ring of the Gaunt's, feel like they should be together? And why does the ring feel so _familiar _to me? Like its mine?" It was something to ponder later. Perhaps it was time to visit the Potter Heirloom Vault to see if his father, or any of his other ancestors, had left any paperwork behind about the history of the cloak.

Harry shrugged, finally, and put the mystery out of his mind for the moment. His mission for the day was done. Four Horcruxes were now off the board. The one within Gringotts was being monitored. Only two remained unaccounted for. He was just about to Apparate away, when he caught sight of the edge of the Riddle cemetery through a hedge. Remembering what had happened there barely over a year ago, Harry realised that Voldemort would attempt to resurrect himself again as soon as he was able. Quickly scrolling through the Dark Lord's memories on how to resurrect himself easily, Harry realised that doing something to his ancestors remains would deny him one of the simpler avenues to his rebirth. However, Harry didn't feel right about disturbing a grave or its contents.

Eventually, Harry grinned as a solution came to him, and he drank another Pepper-up potion in preparation of a bit more spell work.

* * *

Notes: As I've mentioned before, I'm going with the idea that Nagini was turned into a Horcrux _before _that Halloween night. According to canon, Voldemort had a pitiful amount of magical power available to him before he created himself a new body at the end of The Goblet of Fire. Barely enough to _Crucio_ Wormtail properly. And certainly not enough to create another Horcrux, by my reckoning. And if I'm wrong, well…

This _is _an AU fic, after all!

* * *

**-END OF CHAPTER-**


	14. Draco Black Pause Reflect Part 1 of 3

The Power He Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: Hopefully by this point in the fic we've established that I do not own 'Harry Potter', or any associated copyrights or merchandise. It's all J.K. Rowling and her business associates. Not me.

Notes: Just thought I'd spend a few chapters on Draco's perspective. Enjoy.

* * *

CHAPTER 13- (Draco Black- Pause. Reflect. Part 1 of 3.)

"I should be back a few hours after dark. If I'm going to be later, I'll send a message with one of the elves."

"Whatever." Draco said dismissively as he stood just inside the _Viaticus _room. _'Yeah yeah, get going, scarhead. Go play with the other blood traitors.' _He thought, trying to muster up enough anger for a scowl to see Harry on his way.

"Toodles." Harry gave a final nod and Apparated away.

"Finally!" Draco Black exhaled explosively. "Now I can…" He trailed off and blinked. Slowly, his shoulder's slumped with as he came to a depressing realisation "Wander around this bloody house and try not to cry with boredom." He finished with a sigh.

Ever since Harry had taken 'custody' of him, at Narcissa Malfoy's suggestion, Draco had rarely been allowed out, and never without supervision. At first, Harry had been content to keep him under a sort of house arrest. From the way Narcissa had been acting, Harry expected that the Death Eaters would have picked Draco up the first time he showed his head out the front door. After that, he would have only lived long enough for either Voldemort to get another body, or his insane aunt Bellatrix to lose her patience and kill him in a fit of pique.

Besides, Draco did not have any actual friends. Just other Death Eater children that were cowed by his father's reputation and standing as a leading member of Voldemort's inner circle. However, since his father's incarceration and fall from grace, the Malfoy name was now actively working against him.

He had managed to convince Kreacher to deliver some letters to some of those people, without telling either Potter or his mother, to see if they were willing to take him in, or allow him to visit. Vincent Crabbe. Gregory Goyle. Pansy Parkinson. Theodore Nott. He had sent letters to them all.

The owled response he had received had left him deeply uneasy.

Harry had shown him the replies when they had arrived. Draco had not known until that moment that incoming owls, especially ones not accepted by the wards around Grimmauld Place, went through even more scrutiny than people arriving through the _Viaticus_ room. Harry had the opened letters, along with their envelopes, floating in the air with a shielding bubble around them that Draco could not identify. Harry then went on to explain just how many portkeys, tracking charms, compulsion charms, poisons, hexes, and curses were infused into each piece of paper.

Draco's mother had then entered the house and proceeded to tear strips off her son for his stupidity. It had been an unpleasant afternoon. Lucius, when he was angry enough with Draco to dole out actual punishment, usually applied the Cruciatus Curse to him for a few seconds. He would have preferred five _minutes _of that, to his mother's angry and fearful tears that afternoon.

The lesson was clear; his life was in danger if he tried to keep up with his old crowd. They were all seeking to become Death Eaters themselves, the same as he had been. Their parents were actively encouraging that desire, the same as his father had been with him. Any way of furthering that ambition was to be grabbed with both hands. If any one of them had fallen into the circumstances Draco found himself in, he would have tried the same things they did.

Draco had felt a vague sense of sadness about that realisation. He had actually hoped deep down, in a secret part of himself, that they might have considered him a friend despite all the crap he had put them through for as long as he had known them.

So, he was well and truly stuck. Walburga Black, Sirius' mother and the previous matriarch of the Black family, had spent a large portion of the Black vaults in her support of the Dark Lord. Harry's godfather had drained the rest. He had barely one-hundred thousand Galleons to his name. The various Black properties were gone, sold by both Sirius and Walburga. Harry had inherited the sole remaining house. Draco had noted that some investments and shares in a few businesses were still in his portfolio, but that selling them was inadvisable, considering that they were the only source of income he currently had available to him.

Which was another thing that annoyed him. While Harry couldn't just stroll into the Black vaults and fill his pockets with Galleons, like his godfather had, neither could Draco. Harry completely controlled Draco's access to his finances. And while it meant that when the time came for Harry to hand over control of the vaults they would be filled with substantially more gold than they were at the moment, he wanted to be able to spend those Galleons _now! _

Patience was not a strong personality trait of his.

Draco thought, though, that Harry might have been feeling guilty about keeping him cooped up. It would explain the demented outings that insufferable scarhead had begun dragging him out on.

* * *

_**-:FLASHBACK THE FIRST:-**_

"Exactly _why _am I dressed up in this ridiculous clothing, Potter? I look like a skinny Dementor." Harry looked back at Draco, who was standing at the threshold of the _Viaticus _room, plucking at his clothing with an expression of distaste on his face. He, like Harry, was clad head to toe in black. Black long-sleeved shirt, black jeans, black dragon hide boots, with a black balaclava in his hand. Harry noted that the shirt was bulging slightly around the middle, and wondered if Draco realised that his 'girlish' figure was getting away from him. He certainly wasn't going to comment on it though. Not after last time.

The hissy fit that had resulted from him asking Draco about a couple of dark-blond strands mixed in with his silvery hair a few days ago did not bear repeating.

"Because I am continuing your education about what you would have _really _been joining, had you become a Death Eater this summer, and we will need to be as inconspicuous as possible." Harry replied.

Draco rolled his eyes. "So where are you taking me?"

"One of Voldemort's hiding spots." Harry said bluntly.

"…SAY WHAT?" Draco screeched, after taking a moment to process that statement.

"Draco." Sighed Harry, "Have you ever wondered why Tom Riddle doesn't have a vault at Gringotts? Why he sponges off his supporters and Death Eaters as much as they will let him?" Draco looked at him, utterly confused. "When he split his soul in his sixth year at Hogwarts, he 'died'. Magically speaking. In a way."

The Black Scion cocked his head to the side, showing his deepening confusion. "Huh?"

"For magical contracts to work, especially the banking ones the goblins use, a wizard or witch's soul interacts with the magic infused in the parchment, or key. It prevents anyone from trying to open a vault without the owner's permission. Having damaged and warped his soul the way he did, any magic that tried to get an 'imprint' of his soul to make sure the contract would bind specifically to him, would fail. It wouldn't register. Despite how obscenely powerful he is, magically, he can't even do something simple like get a Gringotts vault key to work for him." He shrugged.

Harry hoped he was explaining this right. It was hard enough for him to make sense of what he could decipher from Riddle's knowledge, and the anger associated with those memories. The Dark Lord's inability to make use of a normal magical contract had indirectly led to the creation of the Dark Marks he used on his followers. It had also contributed to his dislike of non-human intelligent races in general, and the Goblins in particular.

"So, to make sure he has money available if he needs it, he has four big cache's spread around England. We," He points a finger from Draco to himself. "are going to clean out the largest one. Tonight."

Draco stared at him in abject horror. Defying the Dark Lord, trying to stop his plans was one thing. _Robbing _him was very much the other. "Your insane. Completely, utterly, incurably insane."

"It's been said before, usually by The Daily Prophet. What's your point?" Harry smirked, enjoying the odd colours Draco's face was turning. Mostly because he knew several things about what they were about to do tonight that Draco didn't. The big one, was that the Blacks had a working prototype of an early time turner in one of the sub-basements of Grimmauld Place.

He had found it in Sirius' journal in the first few chapters. Before Dumbledore's Order had made the house their headquarters, the sly old dog had sealed off the top two floors, as well as three sub-basements. The private Black library was there, along with a few other bits and pieces. Sirius figured that if the Order had known of their existence, they would have at the very least removed them. He felt that they were his, and later, Harry's, to do with as they wished.

Harry was grateful. The 'time turner' was actually a series of rooms, layered in Runes, with a control dais in the main room. It wasn't elegant, or very compact. But, it could send you back up to three days at a time. He had been spending an inordinate amount of time in there, repeating each day at least twice. He read everything he could get his hands on, and practiced what he learned. He also planned. And, as in the case of today, could do several things at the same time.

Harry's outing with Draco today was actually his fourth for that 'day'. He had already cleaned out Voldemort's other three cache's.

Half the Galleons went to an unnamed vault at Gringotts, to be used to address the evil Voldemort had done at a later date. Reparations to families harmed by the war, donations to charities and benevolent institutions and the like.

The other half, along with any gold, precious stones and anything else of that nature went straight in to a high-security vault beneath one of the Potter properties. Harry would decide what to do with them later, as well. For now, they would become _his _emergency cache.

Dark objects were assessed by the goblins, and either neutralized or destroyed. For a fee, of course.

Any items discovered that were actually stolen, Harry would put aside. He asked the goblins to find out who they belonged to, or their descendants. He would return them, in due time.

When he finally gained another body and discovered this theft, (as Harry was sure he would,) the Dark Lord was going to go spare trying to figure out how his secret places had been looted and destroyed at exactly the same time. With luck, he would become quite paranoid. Maybe the Order had finally lifted their game, or there was a new group after him. If Harry was _really _lucky, Voldemort might even do a purge of his inner circle, trying to find a traitor within their midst.

* * *

Harry had Apparated the two of them to a dark corner of Belfast, in the Republic of Ireland.

"Voldie set this one up in the sixties." Harry explained. "The English government and the Irish Republican Army have been killing each other, and everyone else that wandered into range, for most of this century." Harry explained. "From what I understand of his memories, there was so much crap happening here all the time, that anyone could pull something here if they were careful. Toss in a highly-capable and utterly ruthless magic user, and he managed to hide a huge tunnel system from everyone, directly under the city." He chuckled mirthlessly. "Voldie got a real kick out of sealing up and putting under the _Fidelius_ Charm an English Government-dug network of tunnels."

Draco absorbed that information silently. "So, where are they? Are they still under the _Fidelius_? How do we get in?"

"We're standing on top of it." Harry pointed across the street. "The entrance is right over there, hidden by more mundane but longer lasting charms. The _Fidelius _failed somewhat when he lost his body. Again." He smirked. "And you get to wait here, while I disarm Voldie's security measures."

"What! Why? I could do it." Draco shouted indignantly.

Harry continued smirking. "Doubt it! They all have Parseltongue triggers. Stay here and don't annoy anybody." He ordered as he _Disillusioned _himself and walked away.

* * *

"Did the _Fidelius _fail, that Halloween night he tried to kill you, the first time?" Harry nodded, grimacing. "If it failed, how come no-one found this place?" Draco asked as the teens walked through a dank, ill-lit tunnel. He was glancing around in a manner both disdainful and fearful. It was not a look easy to carry off, especially while wearing a black balaclava, but he managed it.

"I said it _somewhat _failed. Voldie didn't exactly die, either time. To my knowledge, no-one has ever studied what the effects of what becoming a Horcrux-having, non-corporeal wraith-thingy, would have on a _Fidelius _charm." Harry replied. "And who says no-one didn't?"

"Do you mean, that someone did?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "They seemed to be non-magicals, mostly homeless people. I guess they were looking for a place to sleep, or something. I vanished what little was left of them before I came and got you." Harry's shoulders slumped. He was sick of death, especially death caused by Voldemort. "Like I said, the protections Voldie had on this place were formidable in the extreme. He didn't want anyone finding this place. And if they did, he didn't want them getting away to tell others."

"Oh" Draco contemplated that, not noticing that they were approaching their objective until he bumped into Harry's back. "What?" He looked up, startled.

In front of them was a round door, made of solid steel. Around the edges were what looked like black metal snakes. Their tails imbedded in the stone walls, while their heads were pointing towards the centre of the door. In each mouth was a bar that was attached to the door itself, holding the door locked. It looked very intimidating to Draco. Beside him, Harry snorted, looking almost amused by the sight of the forbidding doorway.

"Arrogant prick." Harry shook his head. "All that power, and he's not the least bit original."

"What?"

"He copied the doorway from the Chamber of Secrets." He pointed a finger at it. "Watch this." He winked, and whispered an order in Parseltongue. To Draco's amazement, the snakes began writhing and curling up on themselves, their tails pulling out of the walls. The door then swung outwards silently.

Harry started forward, then paused and looked back at Draco, who was still staring at the door with trepidation.

"C'mon Draco, nothing'll bite you in here unless I ask it to. Your safe."

Draco shook himself out of his daze, and glared at Harry. "And that's supposed to reassure me?" Without giving Harry time to retort, Draco brushed past him and through the doorway.

* * *

Harry had been leading Draco down a long corridor, lined with the wands Voldemort had taken off the dead bodies of his enemies, when the young Lord Black had stopped and pointed.

"What. In the fuck. Is _that_?" Draco pointed at the..._something_...that was sitting in the corner of the hallway, blandly watching their progress towards it.

Harry drew his wand as he strode towards the thing that was squicking Draco out. "_That_, is what happens when a Death Eater pisses off his Lord and Master when he's feeling especially creative, Draco." He explained as he started looking around the back of the thing.

"What?" Draco repeated weakly. It was grotesque. A naked brain was floating in a slightly cloudy liquid, encased within a large globe of glass. Veins could be plainly seen pulsing slightly across its surface. In places, the veins seemed to merge into a network of plant roots, which went down into the floor of the room, and upwards to a bunch of what looked like Venus fly traps sitting on top of the globe. And at the front, attached to the brain by a couple of tendrils of muscle and nerve-clusters, was a single, unblinking sky-blue eye.

Harry stopped his explorations and looked at the brain. "Some random idiot, one of Goyle's cousins I believe, screwed up a monitoring operation of some importance to Voldie. So as a lesson in irony, he removed the guy's brain and stuck it in that set-up so that he would always have a 'live feed', as it were, of whoever makes it this far." Harry shook his head in disgust. "It's a monitoring system. He sets it up wherever he needs something constantly watched. The roots and the flytraps gather the nutrients the brain needs to stay alive, while the eye looks at everything. When Voldie wants to view its memories, he either uses _Legillimancy _onit, or pulls the memories out and reviews them in a pensieve. The pensieve I'm looking for right now."

* * *

The rest of that night had been a blur of opening various doors, unshrinking trunks (brought by Harry), and removing everything into those trunks. All in all, Harry spent over five hours _gutting _the place of everything remotely of value or interest. Draco just watched it all float past him in a kind of daze. Gold. Jewellery. Galleons. Muggle money. Valuables. Files. Portraits. Libraries of books. Even a few family _Grimoires_.

Draco was astonished at the sheer volume of stuff the Dark Lord had stolen over his lifetime. _'And Potter recons that there are three more like this, spread over England.' _He thought to himself. Deep down, he was starting to become glad that he wouldn't be anywhere near the Dark Lord when he found out about this theft. There would be more than one of his servants fed to that giant bloody snake of his, Nagini.

When Harry was finally done, he shrunk everything back down, and put it all into a bottomless pouch. He had then made sure that Draco was on the other side of the giant doorway, before drawing his wand and unleashing _Fiendfyre _through the door. When Draco gathered his wits together enough to ask, Harry merely stated that he was depriving Voldemort of a resource.

The coldness in his voice as he spoke rattled Draco enough that he didn't even think to ask if he was going to get a share of the spoils, just for being there.

_**-:END FIRST FLASHBACK:-**_

* * *

More Notes: The idea that Sirius Black would have blocked off portions of Grimmauld Place to keep an area private for himself and Harry is not really an original one. The example that sticks out most in my mind is a story called 'Guardian', by an author called Logicalmagic. (ID: 5157533). A good story that has sadly fallen by the wayside, and has not been updated in nearly four years.

**-END OF CHAPTER-**


	15. Draco Black Pause Reflect Part 2 of 3

The Power He Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling and her subsidiaries. Not me.

Notes: Continuing Draco's introspection.

* * *

CHAPTER 14- (PERSPECTIVES: Draco Black - Pause. Reflect. Part 2 of 3.)

Draco wandered in to the upper Black library, getting twitchy again with boredom. In the past, he would have been doing something to cause pain to something that couldn't defend itself, like a house elf.

Unfortunately, Harry had expressly forbidden Draco from indulging in that past time while he was under his roof. In fact, Dobby had been explicitly ordered by Harry to do whatever Draco tried to make the three Potter elves do, back to the young Lord Black.

The resulting grin the little elf had directed towards his former master had chilled Draco to his core. The high-pitched cackle and gleeful hand-rubbing every time Dobby had caught sight of Draco since then had not helped his nerves, either.

To be honest, he had begun losing the taste for that kind of thing recently. Harry Potter had made it his mission to show Draco where the paths such attitudes could lead. The sight of that brain in the Dark Lord's hidden lair had been but a taste, compared to where Harry had taken him next…

* * *

_**-:FLASHBACK THE SECOND:-**_

"Where have you abducted me to _now_, Potter? And at such a disgustingly early hour, too." Draco shouted over the roar of the breaking waves coming up the very steep cliffs. It was a long way down, he noted uneasily.

Harry ignored him for the moment, to take in the sight before them. It was actually quite glorious in the morning light, and so much _bigger _than he had ever imagined.

"Potter!"

"What?" Harry said in a distracted manner.

"It's an ocean. People usually find them near the seaside." Draco spat sarcastically. "Your acting like you've never seen the sea before."

The other teen blinked, before replying softly. "I haven't."

Ignoring Draco's stunned expression at his answer, Harry looked over the side for a moment, memorising and double-checking against Voldemort's memories. "Come on. We need to get down there." He pointed to a small outcropping of rock several metres from the shore.

"_What! _No way in Hades. How are we supposed to get down there, anyway?" Draco shrieked.

"Well, since I don't feel like climbing down there, we'll be doing it the easy way." He said as he drew his wand and whispered something in Parseltongue. "So relax, don't move, and make your mind blanker than usual." Harry ordered as he grabbed his ward firmly by the upper arm.

"Oh shi-" The other teen tried to swear as Harry Apparated them both downwards.

* * *

Once Harry had perched them precariously on the uppermost rock of the outcropping, he got his bearings quickly and Apparated them inside the mouth of a small cave hidden close to the waterline. _'__Better than swimming inside the damn thing.__' _He grinned to himself as he looked back briefly towards the partially-submerged entrance of the fissure.

Voldemort had ensured that unless you knew exactly where to Apparate to, and were able to deactivate the wards he had layered there with a Parseltongue password, you would have to enter without using any magic. If active magic was detected without the wards having been switched off first, like Harry had done, bad things would occur. Which meant that to reach the front door, visitors had to take a long swim in freezing water, for a start.

The Dark Lord had been in a grandiose mood when he made this hiding place. Flexing his magical muscles, you could say. The whole bloody place was designed to weaken anyone who came here without his leave.

During this, Draco had decided to sulk for a bit, and give Harry the silent treatment for dragging him to this Merlin-forsaken hole. Harry was grateful for the quiet. He was not looking forward to entering this place. Voldemort's memories of the atrocities he had done to create the guardians of this chamber were still a bit raw in his mind.

Pulling a vial of his blood locked in stasis out of his robes, he removed the protective charms from the glass container, and threw it against a specific part of the cave wall. Draco's incipient question died on his lips as the part of the wall where the vial smashed started to crumble, and reform into a crude archway. Harry turned to him.

"Stay close. Do _nothing _without checking with me first. And for Merlin's sake, whatever you do, _don__'__t touch the bloody water!_" With that warning, he turned and entered the archway.

* * *

"Have you really never seen the ocean before?"

Draco had been following Harry along the passageway through the rock in silence for several minutes, with only the light from some conjured bluebell flames providing any illumination. He was in a strange dark cave, under enough rock to make even a goblin nervous, moving toward an area that the Dark Lord was sure to have warded to hell and back against trespassers, with a boy his own age who, he was sure, possessed a doubtful amount of sanity. He needed something to take his mind of his current situation before he started screaming in terror.

"What?" Harry stopped to look at him.

"Have you really never seen the sea before?" Draco repeated. "I mean, its just strange. We live on an island. While they are pathetic, this country does have beaches." He shrugged helplessly. "I just…find it odd that you've never seen the ocean before." He finished with another uncomfortable shrug.

Harry mulled over whether it would be worth it to tell Draco the truth. _'__Why not.__' _He sighed internally.

"Until I came to Hogwarts, and saw the lake with the giant squid in it, the largest body of water I had ever seen was a filled bath tub." Harry felt that the trip to that shack off the coast Vernon Dursley had inflicted on his family when his enrolment letters had first started appearing to invite him to Hogwarts didn't count. It's hard to enjoy your surroundings when you were filled with the terrible suspicion that your 'family' were going to tie a rock to your ankles and drop you over the side of the boat, simply to allow them to return to their regular lives.

Draco shuffled uncomfortably. He could sense that his world view was about to be shaken again. He hated when that happened.

Harry resumed walking. "My aunt and uncle didn't want me, or anything to do with magic, remember. My whole world for ten years was the cupboard under the stairs, the kitchen, the laundry, the garden, the local park, the local primary school, and whatever parts of the neighbourhood I had to run through to escape my cousin and his gang. They didn't take me on holidays, or anywhere really, if they could help it. I was their dirty little secret, to be kept out of sight as much as possible." He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "So yes, today was the first time I have ever truly seen the ocean. And it was everything I had dreamed it would be." He smiled to himself, before looking ahead and putting his game-face on. "Come on, and remember: Don't touch the water." He reiterated as they reached the entrance to a gigantic cavern.

Draco stumbled through another stone archway and looked about. A vast underground lake spread out before him in every direction, the far shore beyond his vision. The water surface was a slick black, and unnaturally calm, like a thin layer of oil coated it and held it down. When he looked up to find the ceiling, more darkness crowded his vision, blocking sight of the roof. It was the creepiest open space he had ever encountered in his short life.

"And there's our target." Draco looked around to see that Harry was pointing at a small cloud of iridescent green vapour that seemed to be suspended in the middle of the lake.

"What is it?"

"A stalagmite, sheered off and ground down to create a surface upon which Voldie placed the last booby trap for anyone trying to nick his Horcrux." Harry answered as he began walking along the narrow ledge of rock that ran around the edge of the lake. "C'mon, we've got a small walk to our transportation."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Harry stopped and pulled out his wand. Poking what appeared to be nothing but thin air, Draco was startled to hear a metallic clanking sound emanating from where Harry was prodding empty space. All at once, a thick chain of what appeared to be mouldy copper materialised out of nothing and started retracting into the stone wall next to them.

"Huh?"

Harry smirked over his shoulder. "What? Oh, I'm just bringing our transport up."

Draco's next question died on his lips as a small punt surfaced a few metres in front of them and glided to a stop as it nudged the shore gently.

"Give me a minute here." Harry demanded as he gingerly stepped inside the boat and began searching for something along the inside rim. "Ah-ha! Give us a look at you, then." He muttered as Draco looked on curiously. With a flick of his wand over the slightly glowing green metal, runes began to appear. Harry poked his wand at some of them and hissed under his breath in what Draco assumed to be Parseltongue for a minute or two, before waving his wand over them again. As they faded out of sight once more, he turned to his ward and grinned.

"Right, this boat will now take two passengers safely to the island in the middle without setting off anything nasty. So, come aboard and-"

"I know. I know. Don't touch the water." Draco finished snarkily. "Why are you so adamant about that anyway?"

Harry made sure that they were both on board the small craft with a reasonable amount of space between them, before nudging the boat towards the island with a Parseltongue command. _'__Man, I__'__m glad we__'__re both still pretty small for our age. I__'__d hate to be on this thing with a full-grown adult.__' _He mused.

"Potter!"

Harry jumped slightly. "What?"

"Why are you so worried about me touching the water?"

"Because it's booby-trapped."

Draco started feeling a bit queasy. "How?"

"I'll tell you when we reach the island."

"Why?"

"'Cause if I tell you now, you'll tip us over when you freak out, and kill us both."

"_oh_" He squeaked weakly. "Okay."

* * *

After a short time, the boat reached the island. Draco seemed to have kept his eyes firmly shut the entire trip over, something for which Harry was eternally grateful. After they had both nimbly stepped off the boat, Draco looked around, and spotted a glowing stone chalice upon a pedestal. Ignoring it for the moment, he turned back to Harry.

"Why can't we touch the water?" He asked flatly.

"Inferi." Harry replied simply.

At that, all the blood that had been struggling to remain in Draco's face gave up the fight, and drained away to other parts of his body. "In-Inferi?" He repeated weakly.

"Uh-huh."

"You…dragged me out here…to this…_place_…brought me to this island…and…now you tell me…that we're in the…middle…of a lake full of…_Inferi_?" Draco stammered.

"Uh-huh."

"I will kill you for this when you get me out of here." He threatened weakly.

"_That__'__s _the spirit!" Harry clapped the other teen on the shoulder heartily.

"You…you are completely insane."

"Well, that's neither here nor there at the moment." Harry turned away and began studying the stone basin intently. Waving his wand over the rim, once again runes appeared around the outside. Hissing as he prodded the runes, he eventually straightened up and reached inside the chalice. Picking up the locket at the bottom, he withdrew it and shook the liquid he knew not to be water, off.

Turning it over in his hands, he blinked. "Holy shit!" Facing Draco, shock was writ large all over his face. "You're not gonna believe this, Draco."

"_Inferi!_"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh, get over it. Your completely safe."

"We _travelled_… over a _lake_… full of _Inferi!_"

"Draco? Let it go. More important things are happening here."

"_More important than a lake full of bloody Inferi?_" The blond teen shrieked in disbelief.

"Yup!" Harry nodded and held up the locket. "This is _not _the locket that's supposed to be here."

That was the last straw for Draco. With an inarticulate snarl, he charged Harry with both hands extended, and murder in his eyes.

Unfortunately for Draco, not only had Harry been expecting his ward to lose it at some point during this expedition, but the Scion of House Black was trying to charge someone who's reflexes were vastly superior to his own.

As such, Draco ended up petrified, with his face about three inches from the surface of the water he was so worried about. It was a good thing he was petrified, too, because the Inferi he was currently face to face with would have had him screaming hysterically. As it was, only a thin whistling sound was escaping between his clenched lips.

With a swish and a flick, Harry levitated the other teen up and settled him against the chalice. Sticking him to the stone so he couldn't tip over and fall in the lake, Harry sat down and began studying the locket closely. A couple of waves with his wand confirmed that it did not have any magic whatsoever within it. Frowning at it for a few minutes, he finally prised it open and looked inside.

A piece of parchment was wedged inside where the picture would normally lay. Pulling it out and unfolding it, he read:

_To the Dark Lord_

_I know I will be dead long before you read this_

_but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret._

_I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can._

_I face death in the hope that when you meet your match,_

_You will be mortal once more._

_R.A.B. _

"Bloody hell." Harry whispered softly. "I…_He _recognises that writing. Those initials." Tears began to burn behind his eyelids. "Sirius died thinking he was a Death Eater." He wiped his eyes with the heels of his palms.

"Regulus Black, you stupid bastard."

Harry turned to Draco. "I need to think and meditate for a few minutes. If I release you, will you be quiet and not be a bother until I say otherwise?" Looking into Draco's eyes and brushing a light Legillimancy probe across his surface thoughts, Harry saw the other teen's agreement. With a sloppy wave of his wand, he released him. "Stay there, and don't try to drink that water in the bowl. It's another trap by Voldemort." With that last instruction, Harry sat down in the lotus position, put his fingers to his temples, and closed his eyes.

Draco tried to work up a good sneer for his guardian, but couldn't quite manage it. A quick circumnavigation of the small island failed to expose anything interesting. There was no way he was going to sit in the boat until he absolutely had to, and poking around a trap of the Dark Lord's was not his idea of fun. So he sat down as far away from Potter as he could, and worked on feeling sorry for himself.

'_Why did he need to bring me here? So the Dark Lord made Inferi to guard one of his Horcruxes. Big deal! Probably just a bunch of filthy muggles, mudbloods and blood traitors anyway. Why bring me?__' _He snorted, trying to figure out the 'life lesson' Potter was trying to impart _this _time.

"Bingo!" Harry's shout brought Draco out of his musing.

"So, where is it?" He asked.

"I've actually had my hands on the bloody thing in the last twelve months, if you can believe it." Harry shook his head in a self-depreciating manner. "In fact, we probably walked past it in the last day or so."

"Huh? But, that would mean…" Draco put it together quickly, to Harry's surprise. "It's at Grimmauld Place?"

"Yeah. _KREACHER!_"

**/CRACK/ **"Filthy half-blood Master called… for…" Kreacher's customary snide tone trailed off as he realised where he had been summoned to. "_no_…" His voice quavered in horror.

"Kreacher." Harry said softly. "I know what happened here to you. And I can guess what happened to Regulus. I am sorry for making you come to this place again, but I need to ask you a question."

The gnarled house elf looked up at him, fear clearly evident in his tennis ball-sized eyes. "What does Master wish to know?"

"Where is the locket your old master, Regulus Black, gave you?"

Kreacher's face scrunched up into a wrinkled ball of misery and fury. "Master's locket was stolen by the thief, Mundungus Fletcher, when the order of blood-traitors was clearing their belongings out, just before Master Harry claimed Grimmauld Place."

Harry's face betrayed complete shock at that answer. "That miserable little fuck." He breathed. "He's been stealing from me, and that old prick _Dumb_ledore _let _him."

Refocusing on the house elf in front of him, Harry gave his orders. "Kreacher. I need that locket, so that I can destroy it. You are to locate Mundungus Fletcher for me. You will search him, his house, his possessions, _anything _of his that might hold that locket, and you are to bring it to the safe room under Grimmauld Place. If Fletcher gives you any grief over your actions, you may tell him that Lord Harry Potter requires his presence to answer some questions. You will then bring him to one of the holding cells under Grimmauld Place, whether he wishes to accompany you or not. Tell me when he arrives. Do you understand your orders."

"Yes Master." Kreacher's eyes twinkled with unholy delight, before turning towards the dark water surrounding them. "Master," He asked diffidently, "Would it… could you…Master Regulus' body?" He whimpered softly.

"Huh?" Harry blinked. "Oh, of course. You wish to inter his body with the rest of the Blacks." Pondering how to do that for a minute, Harry finally waved his wand at a distant point of the lake in an intricate but firm manner. The surface of the water churned for a moment, before a pale, gaunt body slurped out of the lake and levitated over to them.

"Master Regulus." Kreacher whispered reverently as the emaciated body was lain down in front of him.

"Should you be summoning an Inferi to us like that, Potter?" Draco asked uneasily, taking a couple of steps away from the body.

"Its okay. I removed the spells that made him an Inferi when I summoned him. Its just a body now." Harry said as he knelt down in front of Kreacher.

"Kreacher? I return to you your old master's locket, as thanks for your service to him, and to me." Harry placed the locket around the old house elf's neck. "Take care of your former master, Kreacher, then fulfil my orders."

"Thank you, Master Potter." **/CRACK/**

Harry looked at the place where the elf and the body had been for a moment, before trying to shake himself out of the dark mood that was threatening to overtake him.

"How did he end up here?" Draco asked, not quite sure how to match these events with what he thought this place was for in his mind.

"Regulus Black became a Death Eater in his final year at Hogwarts." Draco shivered at the almost parallel between himself and the dead man. "His older brother had left the family, so a 'tithe' was needed for the Black's to prove their continued loyalty to Voldemort's cause. Soon after, Voldemort had need of an elf, something expendable in his eyes, to test a trap." Harry gestured towards the stone bowl. "Kreacher was volunteered, but I imagine that Regulus ordered him to come back, no matter what. It was the Black way. Gather information for later use, no matter against who." Harry shook his head in wonder at the departed elf. "Despite almost being killed by the poison in that bowl, Kreacher returned to his master, surprisingly."

"Surprisingly? How so?"

"He should have been dead. The master/elf bond proved to be stronger than Voldie's poison. He had thought the elf was as good as dead after Kreacher drank the whole bowl, so he left him here for the Inferi to deal with." Harry shuddered. "I'm guessing Kreacher told him what the locket was. Voldie rather likes the sound of his own voice, especially when in the presence of those he figures won't be alive much longer." He sighed, remembering his own near-death encounters with Voldemort. "And Regulus, being a proper pure-blood, would have been utterly horrified at the thought of a wizard of Voldemort's stated blood purity splitting his soul to achieve that particular form of immortality. So, he set out to destroy the Horcrux, not knowing that it was but one of many."

"I'm guessing that he gave instructions to Kreacher to destroy it, then stepped in to the lake." Harry shook his head forlornly. "Death Eaters don't retire. Once Voldie found out about this betrayal, Regulus' last hours would have been nothing but pain. I guess he thought this would be quicker."

"Ah."

"Speaking of proper burial," Harry looked at Draco sympathetically. "There is a member of _your _family in that lake, too."

"_What!_"

Harry nodded. "Regulus Black wasn't the only pure-blood to find out about Voldemort's Horcruxes. Nor was he the only one to try and destroy them." Delving in to Voldemort's memories, Harry found what he was looking for, and summoned another body from the dark waters.

Draco nearly fainted when he got a good look at the face of the body floating in front of him. It was bloodless, and not much more than waxy skin drawn tight over sinew and bone, but the family bone structure was plain to see, as was the hair. The deactivated Inferi before him was the very image of an unawakened portrait hanging in Malfoy Manor.

"Grandfather?"

"Abraxas Malfoy." Harry said formally. "Former head of the Minor House of Malfoy. Found out about your father harbouring the diary, and exactly what it was. He then confronted Lucius about it. Unfortunately for him, while your father didn't know exactly _what_ he was guarding, other than it was important to his master, Lucius was a true believer in Voldemort and his ideals." He shook his head. "Voldemort dumped the body in here two years before you were born."

"Who…who killed him?" Draco whispered.

"Your father." Harry answered softly. "Voldie wanted him to prove his fealty, and this was the price. He was allowed the 'honour' of continuing to guard the diary once he took over as head of Malfoy House."

Draco looked up in to the lifeless eyes of his paternal grandfather, and finally began to understand what following the Dark Lord, and taking his mark, truly meant. It wasn't to promote pure-blood ideals and beliefs. It wasn't an easy path to power and wealth. It wasn't to rule over the lesser species of this world as part of his inner circle. It wasn't a way to prove that they were better than everyone else.

It was merely putting a collar around their own necks, and handing the chain to Voldemort.

'_My father committed patricide. He killed my grandfather, just so the Dark Lord could continue to hide the fact that he had violated his soul to become some sort of immortal.__' _Draco threw up a little in his mouth. _'__What else has he done in the Dark Lord__'__s name? What other atrocities has he performed, on the whim of that madman?__' _

Finally a chilling thought occurred to him. _'__What would __**I**__ have had to do, in his name?__'_

Despite how arrogant Draco is, he had never really considered the reality of the views he had espoused his entire life. It was always in the future. He knew, vaguely, that at some point he would have been asked to take the mark. That he would have, one day, had to back up the words he had been spouting to everyone at Hogwarts with deeds.

But he hadn't really expected to have to do anything _really _bad. That was for the low-level Death Eaters to do. He would have automatically taken his place by his father's side in the inner circle of Death Eaters. _He_ was a Malfoy after all. They just naturally rose to positions of power, like it was a _fait accompli_, or somesuch.

Coming face to face with the desiccated corpse of his grandfather, and knowing that the man had been killed by his only child, all in the name of a wizard that was not only a half-blood, but barely even human any more, neatly began to once more shred all Draco's carefully formed ideas on how the world should be. It was a bit too much for him, after the day he'd had so far.

Draco fainted.

"Hunh? He held off on doing that longer than I thought he would." Harry shrugged his shoulders, before arraigning for the body of Abraxis Malfoy to be taken away from this place by Dobby. He then removed Draco and reconfigured the wards so that Voldemort could not re-enter the cavern.

There were a _lot _of bodies in here, and Harry intended to organise for both the magical and non-magical governments to come here and put names to bodies at some point after Voldemort was taken care of.

* * *

**-END OF CHAPTER-**

* * *

More Notes: I know in canon that Dumbledore wasn't worried about two people on the boat in the cavern, since Harry was still considered a 'juvenile' in the eyes of magic, and wouldn't register next to Dumbledore. But my Harry is a little more cautious, and didn't want to take the chance of Voldie's boat tipping the two of them into the lake. So he altered the enchantments on the boat so that both he and Draco could safely make their way across.


	16. Draco Black Pause Reflect Part 3 of 3

The Power He Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is gnnh

Harry Potter is nmmmarlllgh

Harry Potter is marflllflnnnhhhx

Ah sod it! Harry Potter ain't mine. It's Rowling's.

(#PHEW# Bloody _Fidelius _charms. Hide anything, they will. Even self-delusion.)

Notes: Here we go. The final part of Draco's flashbacks. Oh, and I don't actually live anywhere near Europe, let alone London. I got most of the names and stuff below from maps. So if I got any locations wrong, my apologies.

* * *

CHAPTER 15 - (PERSPECTIVES: Draco Black - Pause. Reflect. Part 3 of 3.)

Draco shivered as he remembered that day in the cavern, and absently asked for a mug of hot chocolate, with marshmallows, from Winky to help stave off the emotional chills he was feeling.

'_No wonder mother was so relieved that I was here, under the protection of Potter, until school starts again.__'_He mused to himself. _'__I shudder what the Dark Lord would have made me do, to make up for my father__'__s failure at the Ministry of Magic that night.__'_

Draco settled into a plush reading chair he had appropriated for his room, sipped at the hot drink in his hands, and decided to recall an oddly enjoyable day in muggle London he had been dragged out of the house by Potter to partake in.

* * *

_**-:FLASHBACK THE THIRD:-**_

"Are you ready to go yet?" Draco asked impatiently. He and his mother were standing inside the _Viaticus _room, watching Harry check his fob watch and frown. This whole outing had been the Boy-Who-Annoyed's idea, and he wasn't ready to go yet. Wherever they were going _this _time, at least, there was a reduced likelihood of going somewhere that required a death wish just to walk in the front door. Harry wouldn't endanger people he actually _cared _about.

"We have one more person coming here before we leave, Draco. Hush." Harry replied.

Draco looked at his mother in confusion, as if she knew who he was talking about. "Who?"

"…" Harry opened his mouth to say, when the fireplace roared. "Her." He said instead.

'Her', stepped gracefully out of the green flames, spotted Harry, and rather blatantly tripped in his direction. "Hi Harry! Am I late?" She asked, smiling impishly up at Harry after he had caught her.

"No, you're just on time, Luna." Harry grinned as he set her back on her feet. "You do know that you can just hug me if you want. No need for an excuse."

Luna pouted. "But I _like _falling for you."

Harry groaned while giving her appearance a quick appraisal. He had been slightly concerned about taking a bunch of pure-bloods into London for the day. Surprisingly, when he had broached the idea with Narcissa, she had almost squealed with surprise and delight. It was hard to tell who had been shocked by her reaction more, him or Draco.

The shocks had continued that morning, when Narcissa had also known how to dress well enough to blend in. She was wearing a long black dress that clung to her figure, and went from her ankles to her neckline. Over the top she was wearing a leather jacket. Even more surprisingly, she had black, polished Doc Marten boots on. When asked, all she had said was that it was the only outfit she still had from when she was a teenager that still fit. Harry had to stop himself from ogling her. Without all the layers of clothing and haughtiness the magical high society forced the woman to wear, Narcissa Malfoy was one hot MILF!

She had also managed to choose an outfit from Draco's wardrobe that would allow him to walk around London without drawing more than a slightly raised eyebrow. Not a wizarding robe in sight.

Luna, however, had surpassed whatever preconceptions Harry might have subconsciously possessed. She was wearing a baby doll dress that went to her knees. The top half was off-white with a silver thread running through it. From the waist down it was earthy brown colour, with embroidered baby's breath flowers woven through it. She had on tights that were the same colour as the upper part of her dress. Finishing off the ensemble was a long black fur lined trench coat with woollen inner that went down past the knee-high boots she was wearing, and a well-worn backpack.

"Wow! You look stunning, Luna." Harry gushed enthusiastically.

"Thanks. I rarely get the chance to dress up." Luna squirmed and blushed. "And I certainly wouldn't take anything like this to Hogwarts. I'd never see it again." She explained, when it looked like Harry was about to ask why he had never seen her dressed like this at school.

"We'll have to see what we can do about that, this year." Harry muttered to himself. There was no way he was going to wait another year to see Luna dressed up to the nines, if this was the result!

"The nut case is coming along?" Draco said loudly.

"And its nice to see you too, cousin." Luna replied lightly, cutting off whatever remark Harry was about to say.

"_Cousin_?" The two Lords said together.

"Oh yes." Luna replied blithely, as if she dropped bombshells like that into the conversation every day. "Your father and my mother were brother and sister. Didn't you know?"

Draco's mouth was hanging open as he shifted his gaze from Luna to his mother and back. "Hwuh?"

Narcissa sighed. "It's true, sweetie. Selena Lovegood, nee Malfoy, was the eldest child of Abraxas and Drusilla, and the black sheep of the Malfoy family." She turned to Harry and smiled weakly. "Rather like your godfather was to the Blacks. Her birth was quite the shock to them. Apparently, female children are just not born to Malfoy's. Ever. So they tried again. Abraxas was all for… _culling _her, but Drusilla had her way. She existed, was treated like something of a pariah while Lucius was lavished with their father's attention, and was home schooled by her mother. Hogwarts was _not _an option for the Malfoy's dirty little secret. Eventually she grew up, and managed to capture the fancy of an erratic pureblood by the name of Xenophilius Lovegood. Seeing as he was a pureblood from an old line, and a harmless line at that, on the distant fringes of magical society, she was allowed to marry him. Otherwise…" She shrugged apologetically.

"Oh." Harry nodded, feeling somewhat closer to both Luna and her mother for hearing that. It resonated rather strongly within him. He looked at his friend. "So, your related to him." He pointed a thumb at Draco. "Which would you prefer: pity, or sympathy?"

"Oh, the occasional knowing head-shake and eye-roll will be just fine, Harry." Luna replied. "Although I wouldn't say no to copious amounts of sympathetic hugging." She added brightly.

"Can we get this circus underway." Draco demanded loudly, shrugging off what he had just learned in his impatience.

"Okay. Follow me." Harry grabbed a handful of Floo powder and threw it into the fire.

"Potter Mews!" He said clearly and stepped through the roaring green flames.

* * *

"'Potter Mews?'" Draco asked in his usual tone, as soon as everyone was out of the Floo.

"Before it became _de rigueur _amongst the magical aristocracy to hate anything to do with the non-magical world, (oddly enough, about the same time Voldie started his rise) most pureblood houses kept private entrance portals like this in and around greater London." They all looked around to see a plain, sparsely furnished room that contained little past the fireplace and the exit on the far side. "I found this one while going through the Potter holdings, and had Dobby clean it up. And yes, it has all the standard security charms layered through the surrounding area."

"So, how close to London are we?" Luna asked.

Harry smirked. "You'll see." He answered enigmatically as he headed for the door.

Narcissa and Draco stepped out of the room warily, while Luna followed Harry without fear. Locking the door behind them, Harry explained briefly that the room was a part of a block that the Potters had owned for centuries, upgrading the property as needed over time. But always with a room set aside for the Floo connection.

"Aren't you worried about someone finding this place now?" Luna asked, ignoring the frowns from Draco and Narcissa at her rudeness over what she was implying towards them with her statement.

"It's not the only one the Potter's have, and the defensive wards around the Potter holding's are only second to the one's the Blacks like to employ." Harry replied with a grin.

"They can't be _that _good, otherwise you wouldn't be an orphan, Potter." Draco spat.

Narcissa gasped at her son's rudeness.

"_Dumb_ledore was the one who suggested my parents hide under the _Fidelius _without any other backup, Draco, and I'll thank you not to be so cavalier when mentioning my parents." Harry's eyes were flickering with barely restrained anger and power as he spoke.

Draco gulped. "Got it."

Without another word, Harry turned and led the group out of a small courtyard, and on to a cobblestone laneway. A couple of seemingly random turns later, and Luna gasped.

"Hyde Park!" The young Ravenclaw squealed in delight.

"Uh-huh! And to our right, in the distance, is the Marble Arch." Harry smiled at the enthusiasm Luna was showing. "We'll be meeting up with Hermione and her mother there for a quick bite, before heading into Oxford Street."

Now both Luna and Narcissa squee'd.

"What's in Oxford Street?" Draco asked, getting more and more shocked by his mother's behaviour as the morning went on.

"Shopping." Harry replied simply.

"Ah."

"Although with Hermione along, I'm guessing that she'll try to drag us over to Charing Cross Road."

"But we'll have to go through Soho, so that's okay." Luna piped up.

"More shopping?"

"Amongst other things." Narcissa added gleefully.

* * *

After meeting up with Hermione and her mother, and the by now inevitable assault-with-intent-to-hug upon Harry from Hermione, the group made it's way to an upmarket café just outside the park. When Emma Granger took Harry aside and quietly asked if they could afford it, Harry gently waved her concerns away by briefly showing her the platinum credit card he now possessed. Gringotts had reciprocal arrangements with most of the older banking establishments within Britain, which have been in place for centuries. Its just that most families who can afford to use this service no longer have much to do with the non-magical world.

After food orders were taken, and a couple of misdirection charms liberally applied to their corner of the café so they could talk freely, conversation had been stilted. With three pure-blood, one half-blood, and one first-generation magical human with one non-magical around the same table, it was always going to be so. Add to that the natural inclination for two at the table to want nothing to do with the rest of them, and Harry was beginning to wonder whether he might have been reaching a bit beyond his grasp with getting them all together today.

He had been feeling a little guilty for what he had been putting Draco through recently, and wanted to give him some time with his mother in a safe social setting. Opening his eyes to the wider world that exists around them all, away from the Wizarding one, had also been a factor. Unfortunately, his Gryffindor side had been in charge of what planning there was, and now that they were all together for the day in London, he didn't have the foggiest idea of how to keep everyone talking in a friendly manner.

Thankfully, Luna was getting bored and irritated by all the uncomfortable silence around her, and decided to kick things up a gear.

"Mrs. Malfoy, how did you come to own such wonderful clothing?" Her eyes went to the jacket first, then towards Mrs. Malfoy's footwear.

Narcissa blinked, then sighed. _'__Time to show my son that there are some benefits to the muggles, I guess.__'_Taking a deep breath, she began answering her niece-by-marriage's question.

"As you may know, I am the middle child of a branch of the Black family." Harry, Luna and Hermione nodded, while Emma Granger was content to save her questions for her daughter later, "Andromeda Tonks is my eldest sister, and Bellatrix Lestrange is my youngest." She sighed again, hardly able to believe that she was actually going to talk about her youth to these almost-strangers. _'__Must be the company I__'__ve been keeping of late. Bloody Gryffindors!__'_

"Andy was never quite happy to accept the status quo of our family. Specifically, that as a daughter of the House of Black, she would enter an arranged marriage as soon as she was of age, and settle in for a life of being the Lady of whatever House she ended up in. She was rather like your godfather, Sirius, in that way. Traditions be damned!" Narcissa nodded at Harry, "So, from a young age, whenever she could, she would sneak into muggle London." _'Amongst other things.' _She added internally.

"She what?" Draco sputtered, slightly ahead of Harry and Hermione.

Narcissa looked at her son with a faint smile. "Bella and I had the same reaction, when we first found out about it. We were scandalised at the very thought of doing something so…daring." Her smile grew slightly. "Oddly enough, it was Bella who wanted to join Andy on one of her jaunts first."

"…Aunt Bellatrix wanted to go into muggle London?" Draco's jaw was hanging loosely in shock. "Willingly?"

"Bella was only fourteen at that time. I was a year older, and Andy was about to start her last year at Hogwarts when the suggestion was made. We were children, and not what we have become since." She said sadly.

"So, after a bit of emotional blackmail, Andromeda snuck us out of the house and Apparated us to Diagon Alley. From there, we caught a cab. And then," Narcissa's eyes glazed over in fond memory, "We went _shopping!_"

Draco snorted as the other women at the table sighed sympathetically. Harry, having recently gone on a shopping splurge himself after too long without any clothing not handed down to him by his aunt when they finally didn't fit the land whale known as Dudley any more, just nodded.

At that moment, the waitresses starting bringing their orders to the table. Once all the plates had arrived and they were alone again, Narcissa continued her tale.

"You must understand, Bella and I had never been anywhere except our home, other pure-blood homes, Hogwarts, Hogsmeade village, and Diagon Alley. We had certainly never been somewhere without an adult escort. The idea of going out on our own was intoxicating. And into muggle London, no less! Add to that, the fact that the Galleon to Pound exchange rate is so ludicrously in our favour, and it was going to be a shopping trip to remember."

"Andy led us straight to a place she called 'Harrods' first. Bella and I wandered around behind our sister like children inside Honeydukes for the first time. We had never seen anything like it. Levels, _**levels **_of clothes, shoes, toys, so many _things _we had never seen before." Narcissa sipped some water. "We had been told our whole lives that the muggles were sub-human. That they were inferior as a race to us wizards and witches. That nothing they attempt could ever remotely compare to what magical society was capable of." She shook her head. "Just that _one building _left the entirety of Diagon Alley for dead, in our minds. We actually had to sit down for a while, to try and take it all in."

Hermione was almost as shocked as Draco, listening to the older woman talk so rapturously about a trip to Harrods. Harry and Luna were smiling sympathetically at her tale, both knowing in their own way what its like to finally be able to drink, after so long in the desert, so to speak.

"Of course, we couldn't actually buy ourselves complete outfits, despite how much we wanted to. We had seen Andy try to wear some muggle clothing around the house, once." She shivered at the memory. "They were stripped off her by our father, and she was forced to stand there naked in front of the whole family and _incendio_ them herself before she was allowed to go and put on more 'traditional' clothes." The verbal dressing down they had all received after that incident had been particularly brutal. As was the rest of Andromeda's punishment. "However, if we were clever, and not too obvious, we could get away with a few, small, items." She glanced downwards for a moment.

"Oh yes!" Hermione exclaimed brightly. "With the long robes traditionally worn by wizards and witches, shoes would be easily hidden."

"Indeed. Amongst other things. This jacket, however…" She fingered a lapel tenderly. "It was a gift from Andromeda. The last thing she ever gave me, before she left the family to marry her husband, Theodore."

"…and aunt Bella?" Draco asked, trying to mask his curiosity, and failing badly. "Did she…?"

"Oh yes. Actually, we all bought Doc Martens that day. Andy's were blue. Mine, black. And Bella bought herself three pairs of cherry-red ones." Narcissa giggled bit, before sobering. "She still has two of those pairs left, actually. One pair was confiscated and lost when she was sent to Azkaban. The first thing she did when she escaped was retrieve the others from her vault. And Merlin help anyone who commented on her choice of footwear at one of _their _meetings." She shuddered, having had the misfortune to once witness what she had done to some luckless wight who had dared to say anything. Bella had always insisted that her Docs were perfect for stomping, after all.

"Aunt Bella still has those muggle shoes? And _wears _them in the Dark Lord's presence?"

Narcissa looked at her son blandly. "The Dark Lord knows." Draco blinked. "In fact, he liked how sturdy they were so much, that I believe he owned a pair or two himself. According to Bella, that is."

"Okay, time out." Everyone turned and looked at Hermione, who was forming a 'T' with her hands. "This conversation has gotten a little too surreal for me."

"Fair enough." Harry agreed. "The idea of Bellatrix Lestrange and Voldemort swapping fashion tips with each other is a bit too far into left field for me, too. Oddly enough, it's also true."

"Huh?"

"Your kidding!"

"Really?"

Harry tapped his temple. "I'm 'The-Man-Who-Knows', remember."

"Careful Harry. You already have enough hyphenated titles to your name, without creating more." Hermione snickered.

Luna tilted her head to the side. "I wonder if I could get daddy to do an article on that for the Quibbler. 'Dark Lord's and their fashion sense: When is it okay to go muggle?'"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other briefly, before bursting into laughter.

"Oh Luna, that's brilliant." Hermione enthused.

Harry agreed. "Yeah, if it wasn't for the fact that it would drive Voldie into a killing rage, I'd say go for it!" He then got up, went around the table, and gave the pale Ravenclaw a hug. "You are one in a million, Luna. Don't ever change."

Luna, blushing from both the praise and the unexpected physical contact with Harry, went in to her happy place and immediately added a new wing to incorporate the last few minutes. Her _Patronus _charm was getting easier and easier to create, the longer she hung around Harry.

"Enough with the groping, Potter." Draco grumbled. It was bad enough when he had mudbloods and blood traitors throwing themselves at him, now he was going after the pureblood girls, too. _'__Leave some for the rest of us, you bastard!__'_ He fumed to himself. "We've finished eating. Lets get this menagerie underway...OW! MOTHER?!"

"My apologies for my son's execrable manners." Narcissa said as she lowered her hand. "Sadly, his father took it upon himself to do most of Draco's raising. Both Lord Potter and I still have much work to do in correcting Lucius' teachings."

Draco opened his mouth to complain, but a raised eyebrow from both his mother and Harry put paid to that idea. So, he settled for a prolonged bout of pouting and sulking instead.

* * *

To Draco's great surprise, the next few hours passed both quickly and somewhat agreeably. The other's talked amongst themselves, and even his mother was included to a degree. He was content to stay silent and observe. Less chance of saying something that would invoke a punishment, he felt.

To anyone who had dealt with him in the past, they would have been shocked at the level of self-control he was utilizing. Draco being unhappy with a situation and _not _loudly inflicting his opinion on everyone within earshot? It was unheard of!

And while there was indeed a great deal of shopping involved, it was not too bad. He had actually sniggered as Luna, Hermione, and her mother had occasionally dragged Potter off to play mannequin for them. It stopped being funny, however, when his mother did the same to him.

* * *

Eventually, Narcissa had politely asked if they could call it a day. She had noticed her son starting to get twitchy as the streets began filling with workers and businessmen making their daily afternoon commute home.

"Is this normal?" Draco asked Harry in a half-whisper, his mind unable to register the endless stream of muggles flowing around their little group as they headed back towards Potter Mews.

"Dunno." Harry shrugged, a little unnerved by the crowds himself. The Dursley's hadn't let him out much, and that trip to King's Cross to drop him off when he was eleven was the first time they had taken him anywhere near central London. Even his subsequent shopping trips had been nothing more than lightning visits to the stores. "Hermione? Mrs. Granger? Is this normal?"

"Yes, Harry, it is." Mrs. Granger answered when she saw her daughter give a slight shrug. "Every morning, the city fills with people coming to work, and every afternoon they drain back out again."

"How many people, Mrs. Granger?" Draco asked, nervousness and curiosity overcoming his usual arrogance momentarily.

"Several million, I would imagine."

Draco actually stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and stared at her in shock. "_Million?_" He whispered.

Seeing that her son wasn't going to continue walking any time soon, Narcissa led him out of the way of the commuters pushing past the small group and in to the mouth of an alley. The others followed.

"Draco?" Harry asked, a little unnerved by his ward's glassy stare.

"How…how many muggles are there in England?"

"Um…about seventy million, more or less." Hermione answered instantly. "And at least twenty million in and around the London area alone. Why?"

Draco groaned and grabbed his head, as if in pain, while he started to hyperventilate.

Harry reached out to steady Draco, as he was swaying alarmingly. As soon as he touched him, Draco clutched the front of Harry's shirt, and stared at him with wide, frantic eyes.

"What in Merlin's name was he thinking, Potter?"

"Who?"

"_The Dark Lord, you idiot!_" Draco shook him slightly. "How on earth did he imagine that he was going to rule over _so many people _with just the fools and idiots he has in his service? HOW?" Letting go of Harry, he stumbled backwards until he hit the side of the alleyway. His eyes were wide and unfocused as he voiced his thoughts. "There are maybe a hundred thousand wizards and witches in magical England. Take out the underage ones, the old ones, the sick ones, and you get maybe half that. And of those, most are mindless livestock, just waiting to be herded around by their betters. Even _if _he somehow got wands in all of their hands and pointed them at the muggles, we are still outnumbered hundreds to one. The muggles could overwhelm us with sheer numbers. _What the hell was he __**thinking**__?_"

Harry looked him directly in the eye. "He was thinking that he and his followers were magical, and as such they were automatically superior to the rest of the world. That with a few threats and _Imperius _curses in the right place, things would fall into place." Harry shrugged. "And while that might work on governments for a time, it wouldn't always work on people. _People _are highly adaptive, and there would be more than a few who would take exception to being ordered around. And since there are so few magical people compared to the rest of the population, they would soon figure out that even if the kill ratio was equal between them and us, the odds would still be massively on their side. And, they probably wouldn't stop once the magicals that were actively trying to kill them were dead. We would now be a known threat to humanity. After that…" Harry shuddered as he came out of deep thought. "After that, well, I could easily see genocide on the cards for us."

Draco, as well as the rest of the group, looked at Harry in horror.

"He's insane." The other boy whispered. "The Dark Lord. He's completely insane, isn't he?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, he's insane. All he wants is to punish the world. His parents abandoned him. Muggles abused him. Wizards sneered at him, and called him unworthy because of his unknown blood status." He looked around at the rest of the group. "It started out for him as a way for him to prove his superiority over everyone. But after his sixteenth year, well…it stopped being about becoming better than everyone, and started being about just making the world pay."

There was not much anyone could say after that statement, so the rest of the trip home was very subdued.

* * *

_**-:END FLASHBACK THE THIRD:-**_

Draco blinked as he came out of that memory. Noticing that his chocolate had gone cold, he reheated it with a wave of his wand before taking another sip.

That afternoon had finally tipped his attitude from sliding slowly away from the dark into an avalanche. Despite Potter showing the depths of depravity the Dark Lord was capable of sinking to in his quest for power, it was seeing for himself just how horribly outnumbered the magical world actually was that finally did it. Realising that the number of people in Harrods at the same time as them was probably equal to the entire population of Hogwarts. That he was walking through afternoon crowds that outnumbered the entire wizarding population of England by about two hundred to one.

Potter had, on more than one occasion over the years, accused Draco of being nothing but a bully. Well, if he was, so be it. And a bully only ever took action when the odds were in his favour. Two hundred to one against was _not _in his favour. It was time to start exercising that Black family cunning his mother was always going on about.

He would never join the Light, he knew that. Especially not under Dumbledore's leadership. Potter had explained enough, and left enough unsaid, that Draco considered the Headmaster almost as bad as the Dark Lord.

No, he would settle for being grey. A dark grey, at that.

His mother was right. It was time for him to keep his head down, survive the war that was coming, and when he gained control of the Black family from Potter, start to rebuild the House of Black. Let these noble fools do all the hard work. When the dust settled, he would be in a position to capitalise on the usual chaos surrounding the fall of a dark lord.

Think of it. A former member of a dark family, who had 'realised' what his father was truly like, and had left it to place himself under the guidance and protection of the Light side's poster boy. He then takes his place on the Wizengamot after years by the side of the person who will most likely kill the latest dark lord. You couldn't buy that kind of good will with all the Galleons in Gringotts!

The Dark side was for idiots who didn't have the imagination to think for themselves. The Light side was for fools who couldn't see the world for what it really was.

No more following fools and idiots. He would forge his own path. He was Draco Abraxas Black. He was going to be grey. He would be his own man. He would be _neutral_.

* * *

He would have been horrified to find out that being neutral was what Harry hoped he would want to be, after everything he had exposed Draco to recently.

* * *

A soft chime brought Draco out of his thoughts. _'__Finally back from the Weasleys. __'__Bout damn time.__'_He groused as he looked at the wall clock. _'__I wonder why he__'__s so late?__'_

Making his way to the _Viaticus _room, he paused at the doorway to take in the dirty, shabby state Harry's clothes were currently in, and the scowl on his face.

"What in Merlin's name happened to you?"

* * *

**-END OF CHAPTER-**

* * *

More notes: Yeah, dropped the whole 'Luna is a relation to Draco' thing in there. Considering they have the same hair both in canon and the movies, I figure I can get away with it. Plus, it ties in with a very minor plot thread later on.

Also, I can't be bothered looking up the actual order the Black sisters were born in, so I'm going with Andromeda first, followed by Narcissa, then Bellatrix.

Lastly, while I'm pretty sure the numbers I quoted about both the population of London and England are correct for that period of time ('95-'97), feel free to let me know if I'm out by a significant amount.


	17. Conflict at the Burrow Part 1 of 2

The Power he Knows Not Is…

By: Tezza1502

Disclaimer: Oh please, after fifteen chapters I think we all know this fictional world ain't mine. (The name above the title of every single book should'a been a big effing clue…)

Notes: _**$-Parseltongue-$**_

I will not be attempting to type Fleur's accent. I don't speak French, and wouldn't have the first idea about how to write it. (I did try, but it ended up looking stupid to my eyes.) So, instead of embarrassing myself more than usual, Fleur will be written in the Queen's English. Just imagine her accent in your minds.

* * *

CHAPTER 16: Conflict at the Burrow - Part 1

Harry was lying down on a blanket, under a tree, on top of a small hill, watching the clouds drift across his field of view, completely content to never move a muscle again. Digesting the picnic he had just eaten was more than enough work for him at that moment.

"What time did you tell Ron and Ginny that you were showing up at the Burrow?" A voice asked from his right.

"Later." He groaned.

"Specifically...?" The voice teased in a sing-song tone.

"Specifically, about an hour or so before sundown." He groaned. The youngest Weasleys, which had included the twins, had been begging him to come to the Burrow for dinner. The only reason he had finally given in was because Arthur Weasley had sent him a note apologising for his wife's behaviour over Harry's vault key, and personally asked him to come to dinner one Sunday to try and patch things up between him and the Weasleys before school started.

"Hadn't you better get moving then?"

"Don't wanna." Harry sulked. "I'm quite comfy here. I don't see why I should give that comfyness up, just to go somewhere I really don't want to go, and get yelled at by someone _else _who thinks that they should have total control over my life." He growled. "I'm only just managing to keep Albus at arm's length. I don't need Molly 'If I shout it long enough and loud enough, they'll give in and see I'm right' Weasley trying to pull the same crap as well!"

The voice giggled at his description of the Weasley matriarch. "Yes, mother Weasley does seem to be heavily infested with blubbering humdingers, doesn't she. I wonder if she knows that loud noises only attract them?"

Harry snorted in amusement. "Yeah, well, I don't think she'd appreciate me trying to explain that to her. I'd probably get a flock of Howlers chasing me for the rest of the week." He propped himself up on his elbows and looked at his companion with fond amusement. "Anything else I should be on the lookout for while I'm there, Luna?"

Luna Lovegood turned her attention from her own study of the cloud formations passing by overhead, and stared at Harry from her lying position on the blanket beside him with her wide, pale silver- coloured eyes.

"The Loki-Spawn haven't been seen much since their shop opened in Diagon Alley last week, so I think your safe there."

Harry chortled at her description of Fred and George, the twin Weasley pranksters. He'd paid them a visit a couple of days after they opened, under a heavy glamour of course, just to poke around and touch base with them. It had been a fun afternoon. And they had piled his arms high with their products, too. Much to Draco's displeasure.

"However, if they know that you will be there this evening for dinner, it is likely they will be too. So don't accept candy from pranksters." Harry sniggered at that play on the 'stranger danger' motto. "Also, a Veela and her chosen mate have returned, so be on your guard against their charms."

He perked up a bit at that. A Veela? At the Weasleys? "Anyone I know?"

Luna looked at him askance. "I would hope that you would know all of the Weasley family by now, after five years."

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, your no fun." She snorted. "A fellow Tri-Wizard contestant has been noticed by myself around the Burrow, in the company of one of the elder Weasleys."

Harry pondered that for a moment. "Krum's dating one of the Weasleys? I didn't know he was a Veela?"

Luna's eyes bugged out at that statement, before proceeding to laugh so hard that she started choking. "Not…not…only…girls…Veela…"

"Yes, I am aware that Veela are only female." Harry smiled, always happy to get Luna laughing out loud. It was something she did not do nearly enough, in his opinion. "So, Fleur's dating… Bill, I'd have to guess. I do seem to remember her giving him an appreciative once-over at Hogwarts, during family day." He recalled.

Luna nodded that he had gotten it right, whilst still trying to catch her breath.

"I wonder how that's going down? Ron must be nothing but a puddle of drool by now." He chuckled, remembering Ron's antics whenever he was within range of Fleur's Veela allure during the Tri-Wizard competition.

"Ronald has taken to either staying in his room, submerged up to his neck in a quiet corner of the pond, or out in his father's shed most of the time." Luna stated.

Harry went a little green over the possibilities of why Ron might need _that _much time alone in private. "_Way _too much information there, Luna. And how would you know, anyway?" He raised an eyebrow at his friend.

Luna blushed lightly and ignored the question. "Will you be able to keep your emotions under control, Harry?" Luna asked suddenly, a slight touch of worry colouring her voice. "I know that you have seemed to be almost overflowing with anger since that night you told us about."

Harry opened his mouth, paused to consider his friends words, before finally speaking. Luna had been nothing but patient and supportive towards him these past few weeks, and was just looking out for him. He would _not _take his frustrations out on her. "Yeah, I guess." He ran a hand through his hair. "I just… it was a _lot _of information to try and get a handle on in too short a time. Add to that the will reading, trying to ride herd on the ferret, _Dumb_ledore's manipulations, old and new, figuring out how to begin to get the House of Potter back in to some sort of functioning order, figuring out how to deal with what's left of the House of Black, _finally _getting into my family's vaults, all of that… I guess I've had a pretty short fuse lately. Plus, Draco keeps trying to push my buttons. _And _I've still got heaps to do before I can comfortably head back to Hogwarts." Harry noticed a dawning look of horror on Luna's face. "But I _will _be returning with you guys in September! Have no doubt about that."

"Oh thank the Goddess!" Luna exhaled explosively. "I was _not _looking forward to a year without my favourite cuddle toy being around."

"Yeah, you and the rest of the girls, I'll bet." Harry muttered under his breath.

* * *

Eventually, after much pinching and pouting, Luna managed to get Harry upright, and heading in the direction of the Burrow.

* * *

Harry Apparated to the boundary of the Weasley property with only the slightest displacement of air. Taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders, he felt a heavy tingle run over his body as he stepped through the wards he knew that the eldest Weasley, Bill, had erected months before. Knowing that an alert had now been sent forward into the Burrow, he ambled slowly towards the house, taking in the scenery around him as if it might be the last time he ever saw it.

'_Depending on how the next few hours go, it could very well be.' _He thought sadly to himself. He knew that the only Weasley he really had an issue with right now was the Matriarch, Molly. He also knew that she ruled the roost with a smothering hug in this household, and that Arthur rarely stood against her.

'_Why couldn't she just give me my damn vault key, and trust me.' _He sighed. _'Have I ever given her reason to think that I would go nuts and piss all those Galleons up against a wall as soon as I got my hands on it? I'm not bloody Ron!'_

His internal fuming was interrupted by a shouted greeting. He looked up in time to see Ginny launch herself at him with a giggle. "_Woulgh!_" He grunted as her lithe form slammed into his scrawny one. "And good evening to you too, Ginny."

"Hi Harry!" Ginny said impishly as she look up from where she was burrowing herself into his arms. "How are you?"

"Pretty good, all things considered." He shrugged. He then shifted her to one side so he could free up an arm. "Hello, Mr. Weasley." He said somewhat formally as he extended his hand.

"It's Bill, Harry. Just Bill. Remember?" William Weasley, Ginny's eldest brother, put out his own hand and shook Harry's firmly. "Anything I should be worried about?" He asked with a grin as his eyes flicked to his sister briefly.

"Huh? Oh, um, not really." Harry shrugged. "Hermione and Luna have taken to pouncing on me, and trying to fold my ribs through my spine, whenever they greet me. I think Ginny's feeling a little left out, and taking advantage of the fact that Ron's not here to scowl at her for doing the same thing." He explained aloud. Harry knew very well that while she had greatly improved recently, Ginny still had a thing for the' Boy-Who-Lived', and he wasn't really interested in encouraging that attitude. He needed friends, _not _fan-girls thankyouverybloodymuch!

"Ah. Say no more then." Bill grinned, tapping the side of his nose.

Harry rolled his eyes. Gently pushing a still clinging Ginny away from him, he grinned back. "I hear that congratulations are in order." Both Weasleys looked at him blankly. "You and Fleur Delacour? I believe she's staying at the Burrow right now, specifically in your company?" Now they were just stunned.

Bill recovered first. "How'd you… Mum and Dad haven't made any sort of announcement…We've only just told them ourselves…"

"I had lunch with Luna today, and she filled me in on the local gossip." He grinned. "Apparently, a local lad dating a stunning French beauty caused quite the tizz in the village."

"That's one way to describe Phlegm, I s'pose." Ginny muttered under her breath, carefully making sure that she was still facing away from Bill. He was her favourite older brother, and she didn't want him to see that she didn't really approve of his latest 'fling'. She blinked suddenly as the start of Harry's sentence finally registered. "Wait? You were over at the Lovegoods?"

"Ya-huh." Harry nodded as he released Ginny and stepped away. "I have lunch with her every now and again. She's a lot of fun to hang around with, plus it stops her getting lonely when her dad is working at the Quibbler." Harry pointedly ignored the angry pout that was forming on Ginny's face, and continued talking. "And it makes for a good break from all the other stuff I'm doing this summer. I mean, hanging around with Neville is fun an' all, but most of the time I'm spending at the Longbottom's is spent being tortured, er, _tutored _by Madam Augusta in everything I'll need to know about being a Head of House. Plus the Wizengamot crap." He shuddered. "I swear, sitting through one of Binn's lectures is more rewarding than trying to absorb all that stuff. At least in his class you can fall asleep!"

"Loony, fun? Right, pull the other one." Ginny mumbled crossly. "Why didn't you come over and visit _me_ while you were in the area? Er, and Ron too." She added belatedly.

Harry had heard her not-quite-low-enough mutterings, and rolled his eyes. _**$-Oh joy, another jealous fan-girl rears her head.-$ **_He groaned sub-vocally in Parseltongue.

_**$-What did you just call me?-$ **_Ginny hissed back angrily, completely oblivious.

_**$-Huh? How'd you…?-$**_

_**$-You obviously weren't quiet enough when you talk under your breath, Potter.-$ **_Ginny interrupted him. _**$-And where do you get off calling me a jealous fan-girl, huh?-$ **_She poked him in the chest as her eyes blazed.

_**$-If the shoe fits, Ginevra-$ **_Harry shot back, unwilling to let anyone make fun of his friend. _**$-In the last two minutes you've not only taken a shot at Fleur for having the absolute **_**gall**_**to date your brother, but you're calling Luna names as well, simply because she's spent time with me this summer. You gonna get stuck into Hermione next? After all, I've visited with her and her parents a couple of times lately, too.-$**_

_**$-You've what?-$ **_She shrieked. _**$-She didn't say anything about that to me in her letters!-$**_

_**$-Considering how your acting at the moment, I'm not surprised she kept quiet-$ **_Harry observed wryly. _**$- I must say, you're really proving that your Ron's little sister quite thoroughly right now-$**_

Ginny's hand started wandering towards the wand that was tucked in to a pocket of her sundress. _**$-Screw you, Potter!-$**_

Harry's eyes narrowed at her movements. _**$-Don't even think about trying your Bat-Bogey Hex on me, little Ginevra. You won't like the results-$**_

Bill Weasley watched on incredulously as his baby sister and Harry Potter hissed at each other. He knew, through his younger brothers, that Harry was a Parselmouth. What he didn't know, however, was how the heck _Ginny _had managed to pick it up. It most definitely _wasn't _a Weasley family trait, nor a Prewett one.

When he saw Ginny's hand inching towards her wand, however, he decided to step in. "Guys! _Guys!_" He shouted, gaining their attention. "What are you two arguing about?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ginny answered first. "Didn't you hear what he just called me?" She pointed at Harry accusingly.

That distracted Bill momentarily. "What's she talking about?" He asked heatedly. No-one called his sister names in his presence.

Harry groaned. _'Oh, there is no way in hell I'm gonna let her make this into my fault.' _He thought as he cleared his throat. "Ginny was muttering about Luna and Fleur. Apparently, you and I aren't allowed to get to know _any _girls without Ginny's express, written permission." He said, to Ginny's complete horror. "In response, I called her a jealous fan-girl." He shrugged. "It seems that only _she _is allowed to call people names."

"Not you too, Gin." As Harry confirmed something Bill had been trying not to notice, the eldest Weasley son ran a hand down his face. "As if Mum's not giving me enough grief over Fleur as is…" He moaned, before sighing. "Okay, we will come back and deal with this at another time."

"But…" Ginny started.

"Seal it, Pip!" Bill barked harshly, with a glare thrown in for good measure.

Ginny squeaked and fell silent. He hadn't glared at her like that since she had hidden his wand and trunk, the day he left the Weasley home for Egypt to begin his training with the goblins as a curse-breaker.

"Now, what I originally wanted to say before I got distracted, is that I didn't understand _any _of your argument."

"What? But-" Ginny was at a loss. Harry, however…

"When we were talking, did it sound like this? _**$-Oh man, I have a bad feeling about what caused this.-$**_"

Bill nodded. "Yup, that was it exactly."

Ginny looked from one to the other, slowly getting angry again. "Huh?"

"Ginny?" She focused on her brother. "Did you understand the second half of what Harry just said?"

"Um, yeah. Perfectly." She looked to Harry. "What did you mean, you have a bad feeling about something. What caused what?"

Harry sighed. This was not going to go down well. "Ginny, I was speaking in Parseltongue."

Ginny opened her mouth, but nothing came out but a couple of squeaks. Then she thought about that statement a bit deeper, and squeaked some more. "_No_…" She finally whispered.

Harry nodded sadly, all anger over their brief argument forgotten. "I'm guessing that when I killed Tom's book in the Chamber of Secrets, he left a few things behind in you. The same way he did me."

That was enough for Ginny. She fainted into Harry's arms.

As Harry gently guided Ginny to the ground, Bill knelt down next to them, completely stumped over this latest twist in the conversation. "What was _that _about? What did you mean?"

Harry ignored him as he performed a couple of diagnostic charms he'd pulled from Riddle's memories. Satisfied with what he was seeing, and getting Bill to double check his results, he made sure that her head was nestled comfortably in his lap before finally answering Bill. "How much do you know about what happened during Ginny's first year at Hogwarts?"

"Um, not much, to be honest." He answered belatedly. "I know that the hidden chamber of Salazar Slytherin was found and opened somehow, and that something was attacking students on and off throughout the year. I know that you and Ron were involved in saving Ginny's life from something at the end of that school year, too. I also know that when the family came to visit me that summer in Egypt, Ginny didn't let go of mum, dad or me unless she absolutely had to, the entire time she was there. She wouldn't talk about it. Neither would mum and dad. Even Ron kept his mouth shut. Apparently Dumbledore asked them not to say anything, except in the broadest of terms."

"Of course. I'll bet he did more than just 'ask', too." Harry growled. "That old fart couldn't have _any _knowledge of something _bad _happening at his precious school getting out."

"What?" Bill unconsciously bristled at the implied slur against Dumbledore. "What do you mean?"

Harry looked up at him. "First of all, stop getting prissy just because I'm taking a shot at _Dumb_ledore. He's still just a man, and is as capable of screwing something up as anyone else. _My life should be more than enough proof of that_." He muttered that bit to himself. "Secondly, it was a Basilisk that was roaming around the school."

"Bullshit!" Bill exclaimed. "Something like that would have been mentioned in the Daily Prophet."

"Oh _please _tell me you have enough brains to _not _put your faith in that rag's reporting ability." Harry snorted.

Bill quickly flushed, remembering some of the wild stories that had been printed about the teenager next to him in the past year, as well as Dumbledore. "…ah. Right." He said sheepishly. "But seriously, a Basilisk?"

"Uh-huh. Turns out, Lucius Malfoy slipped a dark artefact of Voldemort's into a student's books, just before school started that year. The artefact gradually wormed it's way into the student's mind, and forced her to do things while under its control. Things like opening the Chamber of Secrets." Harry looked pointedly at the girl resting on his lap. "A trio of second year students eventually put together enough facts to figure out what was happening. One ended up petrified herself. The second got trapped on the _right _side of a cave-in with a self-obliviated professor. The third," He sighed as the memories of that day stirred in his thoughts, "The third, fought and killed, a thousand year old Basilisk with nothing more that a sorting hat, a sword, a Phoenix, and a pile of luck that Hagrid would have trouble shifting."

Bill put together all of the rather blatant hints Harry had dropped with what he had observed that particular summer his whole family had visited him in Egypt. "Bugger me sideways with a Sphinx."

"Language, Bill." Ginny slurred as she started to wake up. "Mum ud have a fit if she heard you say that."

"I guarantee mum would have more than just a fit if she'd heard the conversation you and Harry just had." Bill retorted absently.

Ginny paled remarkably at that.

"But, your going to keep that to yourself, aren't you Bill." Harry stated more than asked. Turning to Ginny, he asked if she had been reading the book on Occlumency he had sent to her and Ron, a few days after their meeting at Grimmauld Place.

"Yeah, I finished it, and I've been doing the exercises it mentioned in the first chapters."

"Good. When you get up to putting the memories of your life into order, _stop _when you get to your first year at Hogwarts."

"Why?"

"Because I know what kind of an evil bastard Tom Riddle was even _before _he left school, and I don't want you to go through his memories without me there. They can be a bit…overwhelming." Harry winced.

Remembering what Harry had spoken about at Grimmauld Place that time, Ginny went pale again. "…Sure, Harry. I swear."

"And you," Harry turned back to Bill and stared him hard in the eye, "will not mention anything about what was said here, to anyone. Not your mother. Not your father. Not to _Dumb_ledore. No-one!" Bill started to protest that.

"Quiet!" Harry interrupted the start of a Weasley tantrum. "I've already had Ginny and Ron take an Unbreakable Oath to protect parts of what you just heard. I'm almost tempted to get one from you, too. However," The teen exhaled deeply, "from what I understand, your Gringotts secrecy oaths protect your mind from outside tampering and invasion, don't they?"

As Bill gaped at the fact that the teen in front of him actually knew about that little fact, Harry thought furiously. "Okay. When are you and Fleur working at Gringotts next?"

Bill, still a bit confused, said a date.

"Right. I'll make an appointment with DragonsBane to get you two in for a meeting about a little project I'm running with the Goblins. Depending on how that goes, I'll answer any questions you have then. Okay?"

Bill nodded, still understandably stunned by what the teenager in front of him was saying. Wizards didn't 'do' projects with goblin kind, or vice versa. One was employed by the other. That was the way of things. As one of their curse-breakers, he knew that to be a fact. For something like what Harry was claiming to actually be true, the circumstances would have to be extreme. Almost unique, in fact.

Then Bill remembered just _who _has been attempting to take Harry's life from a very young age.

'_Yeah, you-know-who _would _be enough of a reason for the goblins to work together with a wizard.' _Bill understood belatedly. It was a well known fact that Voldemort possesses an intense dislike of anything intelligent that was not a pure-blooded wizard, especially the goblins. In fact, the goblins were quite sure that if and when Voldemort ever took over the ministry, _they _would be the first species on his 'to purge with extreme prejudice' list.

It was also well known amongst the human employee's of Gringotts that if it wasn't for several magically-enforced treaties with the Ministry of Magic ensuring that anyone who could afford it was entitled to have a vault, or account, with the goblin bankers, that the goblins would have claimed anything that a Death Eater had the temerity to leave in their care. Goblins were a warrior race, and it grated on their sensibilities to have to leave a known enemy alive in their presence. Bill imagined that if Harry actually had anything to offer them that would allow them to get around their oaths without magical censure, they would take it. Cautiously, to be sure. But they would take it.

"Okay, then." Harry nodded. "Are you right to stand again, Ginny?"

Ginny nodded, and accepted her brother's helping hand as she stood up.

"So, no talking about Parselmouth's, or goblins or dark lords. Lets just try and see if we can get through dinner quietly tonight."

Bill and Ginny nodded, wondering if they would be able to manage that last bit.

* * *

"Harry!" Arthur Weasley exclaimed as he opened the front door of the Burrow. "I wondered what would make Ginny yell and sprint out the door like that."

"My presence sends women running and screaming from the room? How depressing." Harry deadpanned as he greeted the Weasley patriarch.

"Fathers across magical England are grateful for that." Bill shot back with a grin.

"I wonder how I affect Veela, then?" Harry retorted with a curious smile of his own.

"Don't even think about it, Potter." Bill growled, suddenly sorry that he'd opened his mouth.

"Think about what, Bill?" The Veela in question asked as she exited the Burrow. "Harry!" Fleur greeted Harry with a quick kiss on both his cheeks. "How are you?"

"Oh, you know. Trying to stay out of trouble, and failing miserably." Harry answered with an airy wave of his hand. "And you? Managing to keep your curse breaker in line?"

"It is a chore, but I am managing him nicely." She replied with a smirk.

"Eh, good luck with that." Harry said quickly, just in case Fleur felt tempted to try and supply details. "How's Gabrielle?"

Fleur snorted. "Rather annoyed that I get to spend time on the same island as Harry Potter, and she has to stay home."

Harry wiped a hand over his face. "Please don't tell me-"

"That my little sister is completely and hopelessly infatuated with the young man who gallantly rescued her from certain death in the Hogwarts lake?" She giggled at Harry's growing look of horror. "Of course not. Why would you think such a thing?" She finished in an amused tone.

"Merlin help me." Harry muttered.

A shout of "HARRY!" from the direction of the kitchen let everyone know that Molly Weasley was in the room. Harry braced himself as best he could before the matriarch of the house latched on to him with a rib-powdering hug.

"Mrs. Weasley." He gasped out as spots began dancing before his eyes.

When Molly finally noticed that he wasn't returning the hug, she stepped back with a confused expression, before shaking it off and holding him at arms length for a once over.

"Lets have a look at you now. Have those house elves been feeding you right? I hope you haven't been letting that evil one, Kreacher was it, near the pantry. And look at those clothes. You've been spending too much on yourself. I knew you would. Silly boy, you should have asked for help if you were having trouble finding appropriate clothes while keeping to a reasonable budget. I hope that Malfoy boy hasn't been giving you trouble. You really need an adult in that musty old place to watch over you, you know. It's too much for a child you age, I know it is. You know, I would be quite willing to pop around from time to time, if you asked. I'm sure you would like to catch up with Ron and Ginny while I straighten up the place for you."

By the time Molly was half way through her monologue, Ron and the twins had come in to the room as well, and could easily see the signs of Harry beginning to get annoyed. Ron and Ginny were especially worried, having already seen their friend blow his top spectacularly once in recent weeks. "Mum, maybe you should-"

"Don't interrupt me when I'm talking, Ronald." Molly said, annoyed at losing her train of thought. Turning back to Harry, she was surprised to find that he had taken several steps away from her, and was glaring at her husband.

"Mister Weasley, while I realise that Mrs. Malfoy and Madame Longbottom have only been teaching me how to behave while in polite company for a few weeks, I am already aware that inviting someone to your home under false pretences is considered quite rude, no matter what your social standing."

"Who?"

"Mrs. _Malfoy!_"

"What are you implying?"

"'False pretences?' What false pretences?"

Harry ignored the voices shouting at him, while continuing to look pointedly at Arthur.

Finally Arthur himself raised his voice and called for quiet. "I'm not sure quite what you mean by that statement, Harry? Could you clarify for me, please."

Harry raised an eyebrow at that. "I was invited here by you specifically, to receive an apology from your wife for her arrogant presumption at Gringotts, just before the reading of Sirius' will." His voice barely hitched at his godfather's mention. "Instead, I find myself on the receiving end of a diatribe, most of which seems to be about how I am spending _my _money 'frivolously', and that I am somehow missing both my arms and legs, along with a good portion of my intelligence, and am unable to do the simplest tasks without your wife there to do them for me." Harry switched his glare from Arthur to Molly. "I will remind you that I was taking care of a household, on my own, from the time I was old enough to reach the sink. I have the scars to prove it."

By now, Ron was wishing that Harry had gotten physical. At least that was something the Weasleys could react to.

"Harry, dear-" Molly started, but Harry had switched his attention back to Arthur.

"So, which is it, sir. False pretences, or has your wife decided on her own that I am merely a child, and not deserving of an apology for her attempted theft."

At that, Molly exploded. "Theft! Me! How _dare _you, boy! After all I've done for you-"

"How dare _you_, woman." Harry shouted back. "That was _my _key, to _my _vault, left to me by _my _parents. And let me tell you, if the goblins had found _one Knut _less than there should have been, I would have been straight around here with the Aurors."

Now all the Weasleys present were shouting at him indignantly over his accusation.

"SHUT UP!" Harry roared. "As far as I'm concerned, it was just one more in a long line of attempts by people who assume to know better than me to control me. And I'm _sick of it. __**NO MORE!**_"

"Harry." Arthur drew Harry's attention away from his family, and towards him. "Could we talk about this outside, please." He gestured to the front door, trying to separate him from his family before the spells started flying.

Closing his eyes and taking several deep breaths, Harry nodded.

* * *

**-END OF CHAPTER-**


End file.
